Second Chances
by dishonoredscholar
Summary: They both thought that they could never be friends more so lovers but as conflicting feelings arise they entertained the possibility of being together. (Pearl X Greg- Peg?/Grearl?)
1. Chapter 1

_Okay, I don't know why I thought of this but this will keep on bugging me until I post it up. Pearl and Greg, they're not exactly my OTP nor do I necessarily ship them, and I doubt this could happen in the show's universe but meh... Maybe this is a crackfic but I'm not entirely sure... Anyway, I imagine that this took place sometime in the first season"_

* * *

It has been weeks since Greg Universe last saw his son. He had been busy with the car wash; business was booming and he managed to earn a lot more than usual. Steven on the other hand, had been going on in missions with the crystal gems nonstop. He would occasionally call him to report his adventures. From these stories, he knew that his son's powers had improved significantly. He was happy for both of their successes, however, there hadn't been any time for any father-son bonding. He decided to close early and bought a large bag of fry bits; he was going to surprise his son with a visit. After climbing the steps he knocked on the door.

"Oh, hi Greg..." Pearl answered rather unenthusiastically upon opening the door.

"Hi Pearl! Is Steven around? I thought I would surprise him with some fry bits." He replied as he held out the bag to show her.

"No, he went to the movies with Connie. You can come back after half an hour, he'll probably be here by then." she answered.

"Well, uh, can I just wait for him here. I don't really have anywhere else to be." he admitted.

Pearl hesitated for a little while. She had been alone at the temple and spending some 'quality time' with Greg was not in her plans. Nevertheless, he let him in. Steven would not have liked her to close the door on his father. "Sure, please come in." she said with a forced smile as she held the door open for him.

He entered the house and settled himself on the couch. He placed the bag of fry bits on the table and looked around the place. The place was a mess, food packets were scattered everywhere and Steven's toys lay on the floor in random positions.

Pearl had been busy cleaning up after Amethyst and Steven. He had been roleplaying various anime scenes with the use of his action figures and Amethyst had suggested to use food for the props and Steven gladly took in her advice. Fries were used as swords, potato chips were made into shields and roasted peanuts were cannonballs. When it was time to clean up, Amethyst had been called to a mission (much to her annoyance) and Connie had arrived. After some begging on Steven's part, she allowed them to leave without helping clean up.

Aside from Greg and Pearl, no one else seemed to be in the house. She said nothing to him since; she merely continued her work. The place was quiet. Greg was not used to that; Steven was usually around whenever he comes over and he was always happy to share his exploits with his father regardless if they were gem or human related. "So, the others are not around huh?" he broke the silence.

"Amethyst and Garnet went on a mission. My expertise was not needed." she said without bothering to look up to him.

"Oh, so you're cleaning up. Do you need any help?" he asked.

"No, I can do this alone." She answered with annoyance.

She never liked him and she thinks that she never will. In fact, she used to hate him. He had done a lot of 'atrocities' to her in the past and she can never forgive him for that. However, little by little, she saw how important he was in Steven's life. He was actually a pretty good father (for a human that is) and she's more than willing to tolerate him for that simple reason. She would never admit that though.

"All right then. If you need any help, you know where to find me." He said with a smile.

He waited quietly for his son's return. To keep himself busy, he watched her clean up the mess. She was so focused and absorbed on her task that she didn't even notice him watching. In fact, if he didn't know any better he would think that she had forgotten that he was even there. He knows that his son was probably responsible for the mess and Amethyst was a likely suspect as well. He felt somewhat responsible even if Pearl looked fine with having to clean up- he never really taught him to clean up after himself. He has to say something. Besides, it might help lessen the constant tension between him and Pearl.

"Hey Pearl..."

"Yes?" She asked, still without glancing at him.

"I just want to thank you guys for looking after my son, and I'm sorry for any trouble he might have caused. I know he can be messy at times..." he stated in a very apologetic tone.

She was briefly surprised by this statement but nevertheless, she finally looked up and gave him a slight smile. "It's no problem Greg, Steven is a very sweet boy. We're all happy to care for him."

"I'm glad to hear that. I wouldn't have been able to raise him alone." he replied with a big grin on his face.

"I agree, you're quite lucky to have us helping out. she replied proudly.

There was suddenly a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" Greg exclaimed.

He opened the door and saw Steven standing at the doorway together with Connie.

"Dad!" Steven exclaimed upon seeing him.

"Glad to see you too son. I brought you some bits." he said as he handed the bag to him.

"Thanks dad!"

"Hi Steven, did you have fun at the movies?" Pearl asked after putting down the broom.

"Yeah, the latest Lonely Blade movie was great! They even gave out free posters! Here Pearl, we got you one too. I'm sorry for bailing out on you earlier. It's just that I don't want to miss the commercials before the movie."

"That's okay Steven. I just hope you would be more responsible with your things next time and uh, you can give the poster to Amethyst. I think she'll like it better."

"Yeah, she probably will." he agreed.

"We can help you finish cleaning." Connie offered.

"Thank you Connie but that won't be necessary. I'm nearly done here. Why don't you two go outside and play with Greg. I'll call you when dinner is ready." Pearl replied.

"Thanks Pearl!" Steven stated.

"You're free to join us if you like." Greg offered.

"Thanks, but I'll jut stay here. You all go and have fun." She replied with a smile.

Greg internally patted himself on the back. Little by little, the tension between him and Pearl have lessened. He knew she disliked him but it looks they're already moving past that. He can only hope that their relationship will continue to go that route. He had always want to get along with all of the Crystal Gems, for the most part he has but there had always been a tension between him and Pearl.

* * *

 _That's all I have for now guys. I was initially going to write this as a one-shot that will end in them making out but I thought that wouldn't really be realistic, given their history and contrasting personalities... So yeah, I'm sorry this chapter wasn't much. It's been a while since I had written fanfics or any kind of story for that matter... I hope that you guys liked it though._


	2. Chapter 2

Second chapter! I decided not to put off this anymore. Its bound to happened and besides, I can't really reach any further developments without this chapter. This one probably took place after season 1 but before "Reformed"

Btw, I have a drinking game for you guys. Take a shot whenever Rose's name is mentioned and a double shot whenever Steven tries to comfort any of the characters. Good luck!

* * *

"Hey guys, look what I found!" Steven exclaimed enthusiastically as he went inside the house.

"What do you have there, dude?" Amethyst asked as she and the rest of the Crystal Gems seated themselves on the couch.

Steven rushed over to them and seated himself in between Amethyst and Pearl. He placed the object down his lap and opened the front cover.

"I found it in lion's mane. It was with some of mom's old stuff. It's a scrapbook of some kind. Look!" he said as he showed it to his friends. The book was quite old and worn but it was maintained well for its age. It has various pictures and keepsakes placed inside. They chronicled the adventures that the Crystal Gems had before Steven was born.

"Is this Rose's?" Pearl asked despite knowing that it was.

"I think so... Hey, its a picture of you and mom. You were wearing old timely clothing." Steven replied while handing out one of the loose photos to her.

Pearl took it from Steven. She looked at the photo. It was a picture of them centuries ago-just a few decades after the camera was invented. At that time, it was taboo to smile in pictures and they were more than willing to obliged to human customs. Despite this, they both looked so happy but that was then, things are different now. Rose was no longer with her but the memories that she left and all of her secrets remain. Secrets that she kept from everyone- even her, her closest friend and confidant.

"Well, it looks like she kept a lot more secrets from me than I thought..." Pearl sighed sadly.

"Rose had her reasons, Pearl." Garnet stated.

"Yeah, I just wish I know why... We don't even know anything about that. Why would she even hide that? It's just an old scrapbook, why keep it from us?" She replied as she tried to hold back the tears that are threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Hey, don't cry... I'm sure mom loves you very much... Maybe she hid it so that one day we can all look back at it and feel more nostalgic about it. She loves you Pearl, I just know it." Steven comforted.

She glanced down at the scrapbook again. She scanned through the pages, memories of Rose flooded her mind. She gotten a sense of comfort from them until she reached one particular page which contains a fairly recent picture. It was a photo of Rose together with Greg. They were sitting by the beach; both of them looked so happy. Rose looked like she was deeply in love with the man.

"Not in the way that I would have wanted..." She whispered to herself.

It was not fair to her. Even before the war, she had always been there for Rose. She never left her side and she made sure that she was not harmed by anyone. Heck, she sacrificed her home for her; the moment that she decided to fight by Rose Quartz's side, she knew she can never go back. She even 'died' for her on numerous occasions. She was her knight, her confidant and her best friend. She was willing to be anything she needed her to be. Despite all of this, she chose to be with a mere human- a pathetic being compared to any gem.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes Steven. I'll be fine. Don't worry, i just need a little time." She forced a smile.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" announced Amethyst as she rushed to the door.

It was Greg. "Hey guys! What's up?" He asked.

"Hi dad! We're just looking at this scrapbook from mom." Steven replied as he held out the object in order for his dad to see.

"Oh really. Let me see that. Your mom and I had some pretty good times." He said as he sat in between Amethyst and his son.

He briefly glanced at a couple of pages when he heard sobbing. He looked to the direction of the sound and saw Pearl trying to hold back her tears. She looked so sad.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked.

"You! Like you would know anything... You ruined everything..." She muttered angrily.

Greg didn't say anything. He knew exactly what she was talking about. To him it wasn't really fair, he loved Rose as well. In fact, she was the only woman he had ever loved. She was the most wonderful creature; kind to all, beautiful and yet tough. She was the best wife and he knew that she would have been the best mother if she hadn't had... Besides, Rose chose him. She actually reciprocated his feelings. She loved him, married him and even had a child with him. Rose was never Pearl's. She has and will always will be his.

"I know a lot more than you think... I grieved too, and I'm still grieving now... Rose was important to me too!" he stated in a slightly angry tone.

Pearl looked up and glared at him with contempt. "Well Greg, you knew her for a few years. I knew her for thousands of years. We've-" she was cut off.

"Doesn't matter... She chose me!" he retorted triumphantly as he stood up and looked down on her.

"Its not like you were every any good for her!" She exclaimed in an angry tone as she stood up from her seat.

"Like you ever were. You're-"

"Guys please! Don't fight. I hate it when you two fight. Mom was important to both of you, I get it! I may not have met her but i know she was great, she was important and she would have wanted wanted you to get along so please..." Steven said.

Pearl looked at Steven apologetically. She wanted to apologize, she knew she was wrong and had fought with Greg because of all of the negative emotions she had kept over the years. She needed time to clear her head and think things through. "I-I just need some space..." Pearl stuttered as she rushed out the door.

"She didn't mean to Greg, she was just upset... You know how Pearl could be when we talk about Rose." Amethyst reassured him.

Greg buried his face to his hands and collapsed on the couch. He hated himself for loosing control and he hated Pearl for putting all of the blame on him. He couldn't help that she had a point and she had a very good reason for hating him. "Yeah, and she has every right to be. I think I went too far this time..."

He looked at his son with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry Steven. You're right, your mother wouldn't have wanted this. Its just, so hard sometimes you know..."

"Its alright dad... Its hard to get over the past. I'm just worried about you and Pearl- I don't want anyone to fight. Are you okay now?"

Greg looked at his son with a sad smile."You know what son. I think I will be. I can handle this. Don't worry about me okay?"

"Okay dad." Steven replied.

"I have to go now. I need to make sure that Pearl is okay too..." He said before rushing out of the door.

"Wait, Steven. I think she just needs time-"

"Let him go. Its for the best- I should know." Garnet stated.

* * *

 _Okay, the second chapter is done. I hope that you guys liked this one even if it is a little heavy on the drama. I might update the next chapter a little later than this. I'm going to be quite busy in the following days._


	3. Chapter 3

_Third chapter! This one will be a Steven and Pearl moment. I hope you guys will like this one._

* * *

Pearl sat on the sand and looked out into the sea. It was almost sunset. During the war, whenever they have time to relax and avoid confrontations they would sit down by the beach and enjoy the beautiful scenery. It was one of her most treasured memories with her.

Rose loved everything about the beach; the sun beaming down on her face, the salty sea breeze blowing her hair. But most of all she loved the sunset; the way its radiant orange rays would dance on the waves and the way the light glow of the sun would disappear into the horizon. Pearl loved to watch it with her, it gave her a sense of peace and hope that there will come a time wherein they could watch it without worrying about tomorrow.

"Pearl!"

A voice broke her trance. She looked in the direction if the sound and saw Steven rushing towards him. "Just like his mother... Always being there for the ones who need him..." She whispered to herself.

"Steven, watch the sunset with me?" She offered as she patted the the ground next to her.

He sat down next to her and smiled comfortingly. "Its beautiful..." He remarked.

"Yes, it is. The earth has one of the most beautiful sunsets. Your mother loved them... I wonder if she can see this one right now- through your eyes..."

Steven did not reply; he only sat next to her and said nothing- he knew that she needed only his company for the time being. They sat in silence until the sun disappeared into the horizon. It felt great for Pearl. Rose may not have been with her but she now has Steven and that's all that matters.

"I've been like this for too long..." Pearl remarked, still staring out into the ocean.

"What do you mean?" Steven asked.

"I've been mourning for Rose for too long... I know its not healthy but I don't know if I can ever move on. We were just so close... I was her confidant... Her best friend...She was always there until-"

"Until I was born..." He finished. He had always known how close the gems were to his mother, especially Pearl. There are times when he thinks that they would be happier if he was never born. He and his mother cannot exist simultaneously- there can only be one Rose Quartz and for the time being that's him. He's not like his mother though. His mother was mature, loving, strong and independent. He on the other hand, thinks of himself as childish, weak and inexperienced. Despite not meeting her, he always felt like he lives in her shadow.

"No, that's not what I meant. I don't blame your mother's death." she replied.

"Yeah, but if I never had been born..."

"Steven no, you had no control over Rose's existence! Your birth... was a just a means to her... end..." Pearl panicked upon realizing the gravity of her statement. She looked at him apologetically.

"What I mean is, if you were never born we wouldn't have known how great and special you are." Pearl replied in a panicked and nervous tone.

Steven remained quiet. He knew she had a lot more to say and maybe its better for the both of them if she were to say it then and there. They will both feel better, he will know what the gems or at least Pearl feel about him and she will probably feel relieved that she told him. She knows that she will but he was so scared what he'll think of her. To her, was never an ideal caretaker anyway.

Pearl sighed heavily and continued, "I guess its time to tell you how I really felt. I hated you... I blamed you for your mother's disappearance. Whenever I saw you, I saw Rose and because of this I grew angrier. I know it was wrong and unfair but as time passed on I saw you grow into a wonderful person and an extraordinary gem. Yes, I still hated Greg, sometimes I still compare you to her and I still feel bad about Rose's decision but I had to respect her choice... Besides, you're probably the only good thing that came out of their relationship... Please don't feel bad... I don't care and love you because I see you as a substitute for Rose or because I feel inclined to do so since you're her son... At first I did but I eventually learned to love you as you... I genuinely care about you, Steven. We all do!"

Pearl sighed and looked at him apologetically. "I said too much... Now you know how I felt about you before... I hope that we're still friends..."

"You want to know what I think about you right now? I still think you're pretty great..." he replied as he hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Steven..." she said as placed her hands around his shoulders.

"Uh Pearl, can I ask something?" he said upon breaking from their hug.

"Yes? What do you need?" she asked.

"My dad, seemed upset as well. He doesn't mean to hurt you but you said some terrible stuff too. Can you please be friends with him..."

Pearl was slightly repulsed by this request. She never liked Greg; he was fully a human and probably the lowest of the low when it compared to others of his kind. She wants to let Steven down gently though.

"Steven, you do know that Greg and I uhh- have contrasting personalities and given our history... Getting along with him will be quite difficult..."

"Yeah, but you have to try!" he said.

"No." she replied.

"Please..." he begged.

"No."

"Pretty please. I know it's for the best..." he reasoned with desperation in his eyes.

"Alright, how about this... I will apologize to Greg for my behavior from earlier and we'll see how it goes from there." She suggested.

"Oookay, it's a start I guess..." Steven said disappointingly.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter happened just before the events of reformed. Actually, it overlaps with the episode.

* * *

Greg wanted to spend more time with his son. He planned an entire trip with just the two of them. The sun was still rising when he drove his van near the temple when suddenly the engine stopped working. "Darn it..." He muttered under his breath.

Upon seeing his father at the beach, Steven ran as quickly as he can towards him. He already has his backpack on and a huge smile on his face. He stopped in front of his father and eagerly waited for him to let him inside the van.

"I'm sorry son, the van broke down. We're going to have to postpone our trip." Greg said apologetically.

"B-but you can fix it right? We can go a little later than our original plan." He suggested.

"Well, it depends on how broken this thing is. I haven't checked the engine yet but we'll try, okay?"

"Okay..." He replied in a disappointed tone.

Immediately though he perked up and smiled at his father. "I know someone who can help you. Wait here dad, it'll be fixed before you know it!"

He ran back into the house. He scanned his surroundings until he noticed Pearl by his bedside. She was just making his bed and fluffing up the pillows when he came running towards her.

"Pearl! Pearl, come quick you gotta help me!" He exclaimed.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Pearl asked in a worrying tone.

"C'mon, just follow me! We need you..." Steven grabbed the hem of her blouse and dragged her outside.

"Wait Steven, what is it exactly? What's the emergency?" She said as they went through the door.

"Dad's car broke down and we need your help fixing it so we can leave for our trip." He stated.

"Oh... Well, there's no need to drag me outside in such a manner. Let's just walk there." she replied in an annoyed tone.

The two walked towards the van. Greg opened the hood and looked into its mechanisms. "Looks irreparable…" he muttered, obviously distraught at the condition of his vehicle.

"Hey Greg..." Pearl greeted.

"Hi Pearl…" he glanced and gave her a slight smile

"Steven told me that you needed help with the van."

"Yeah, I can't seem to get it to work. Can you take a look?" he asked.

"Sure."

She looked inside the van's hood and assessed the damage. It was an easy repair but she knew that it will take a while. She sighed internally; she tolerated Greg but still dreaded having to spend a long time together with him.

"This can be fixed. It might take all day though…" she told them.

"What!? All day… What about our trip?" Steven asked dissapointingly.

"It looks like we're not going anywhere for a while. I'm sorry son." Greg apologized.

"I'm going to need to get my toolbox. I'll be ri-" she was cut off.

"I-I'm going to get it. I know where it is." Steven remarked.

After Steven left, the atmosphere became akward. Pearl knew she had to apologize sooner or later. She told Steven she would. Greg on the other hand, doesn't really know what to say to her or if he should apologize himself. Eventually though, Pearl decided to break the silence.

"Umm Greg? I-I want to apologize for last time… I-I should have been more s-sensitive… Rose did love you more..." she admitted.

"Hey, it's okay. It's all in the past now. I'm sorry too, I went to far. I knew you were really close to her too."

"Yeah, I-I guess you can say that…" she blushed slightly.

"Pearl, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?" She asked.

"You were in love with her too huh?" He smiled smugly.

Pearl internally panicked. She knows that other people would think that they were extremely close friends but she never that people would be able to tell how she truly felt for her. Was she really that obvious? "N-no! O-of course not!" she lied.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "It's alright… I'm fine with it. I can understand why you loved her... She was the most extraordinary woman I have ever met."

"Yeah, and probably the best gem have ever existed." she agreed.

"When she-you know... It was so painful... It was- was..."

"Torture?" she suggested.

"Exactly…"

The two of them looked out into the distance and reflected on everything that had happened: from the time that Greg first met Rose to that exact moment when they were both waiting for Steven to retrieve the toolbox so they can start working on the van. Its been a while since Rose had left them but both of them still mourn her as if she went away just yesterday.

We're pathetic... It's been years, we should really move on..." Greg remarked.

"I'm not pathetic." Pearl retorted.

"But you're right. We should really move on..." She agreed.

Greg looked at her with a friendly smile "So are we cool?"

"Yeah. we're… cool." She smiled back.

"Guys! I found it!." Steven said as he ran towards them while carrying the big clunky tool box.

"Steven! be careful!" Pearl exclaimed.

"I am care-Whoa!" he almost tripped but his father was able to catch him before he hit the sand.

Greg took the box and placed it down the ground.

"Can I help?" Steven asked.

"I think you should this one out, son. Maybe you should just play with your phone for a while." Greg said.

"Awww, okay..." he said sadly as he sad down on the sand.

"We can make a few upgrades if you like. It's desperately in need of one..." Pearl said after further examining the state of the vehicle.

"Sure, do we have enough time?" he asked.

"Either way, it's going to take us practically the entire day to fix this thing." she replied.

"Well, we better get started then."

The two of them started attending to the van while Steven browsed the internet for some online quizzes.

"Hey guys!" Steven exclaimed.

"Yeah, Steven?"Greg asked.

"You guys should take this online quiz I found. It tells you what... It tells you what character you are from "Crying Breakfast Friends!"

Pearl turned to Steven with a confused expression on her face. "Uh, why?"

"It's just fun to see yourself as a cartoon character, like Weeping Egg Cup, who is neurotic and uptight; or Pining Grapefruit, the sensitive older one who wishes he were a better role model." he replied.

"Uh, maybe we can do that thing after we fix the van." Greg commented.

Both of them turned back to the van's open hood and continued working.

"Okay, I'll go find someone else!" Steven said as he walked back towards the temple.

"Do you understand that cartoon show?" Pearl asked.

"I don't understand anything anymore." Greg replied.

* * *

Sorry this one took a while. I promise to have the next one up much faster. I hope you guys like it :)


	5. Chapter 5

_Yay! Fifth chapter. This one happened after the events of Sworn to the Sword. I hope you guys will like this one._

* * *

The giant foot stomped down against the ground barely missing Amethyst and Pearl. The two of them fell down face first from the impact.

"Darn it! That thing nearly smooshed me!" Amethyst exclaimed as she got up and launched her whip against it's ankle.

Pearl moved several steps away from the giant foot and aimed a beam at it with the use of her spear. The force of the blast sent it towards the ocean. Garnet positioned herself in front of the thing and punched it hard when it approached the shore. The foot fell to it's side but it was able to regain its balance before any of the gems could react.

"That's one tough foot…" Garnet commented.

Just then Greg entered the scene, oblivious to the danger that he's in. The giant foot launched itself forward. Greg was in the direction of his path.

"Dad look out!" Steven yelled as he ran towards his father and formed his shield to defend themselves against it's attack.

"Garnet, go for its heel, I'll attack it's midfoot!" Pearl exclaimed.

Garnet and Pearl lunged at the thing and immediately receded back into it's gemstone due to the sheer force of their combined attacks. Garnet caught the gem and encased it in a bubble.

"Was that a fragment?" Amethyst asked.

"No, it just decided to take on the form of a foot. Weird…" Garnet stated in her usual monotonic voice.

"Dad are you alright?" Steven asked as he looked at him with concern.

"Yeah, thanks to your shield. I would have been a pancake without you." He replied while affectionately patting his son on the head.

Garnet sent the bubble to the temple and walked towards them. "Greg, its not safe for you here." she commented.

"But I need to visit my son." Greg replied.

"I never said you can't. I was gonna suggest you learn to fight." she clarified.

Greg looked visibly concerned. He had rarely involved himself in the gem's issues despite marrying one in the past and having a son that is basically half-gem. It's what his late wife would have wanted. "Rose doesn't really want me to have anything to do with gem stuff."

"Things are different now. Besides, its only for self-defense." She replied.

Greg sighed sadly but agreed. "Alright then. So when are you going to teach me?" he asked.

"I'm not. Pearl will."

Pearl was surprised by this request. She gave Garnet a confused look and commented. "What? Me? But I'm busy, I'm already teaching Connie and Steven to sword-fight."

"Exactly, you're the one with the most experience in teaching others. I recommend you start immediately." She replied.

Amethyst was intrigued by this. Physically, Greg was not much of a fighter nor does she think he'll ever be. He'll most likely just swing the sword in random directions. The fact that Pearl will be the one teaching him was the icing on the cake. She can't wait to see how the two of them will interact. _"They'll probably fight... a lot!"_ she thought to herself.

"Greg using a sword? Man, I gotta see this." she commented with a huge smile on her face.

"I really don't think this is a good idea..." Pearl sighed.

"Don't I get a say in this?" he asked.

"No" all of the gems replied simultaneously.

"Pearl will teach you, Greg."

"But-" Pearl retorted.

"No buts. I'm going to check on you two later." Garnet said as she leaves the scene and went back inside the temple.

* * *

Pearl, Amethyst and Steven brought Greg to the arena after they retrieved a couple of swords. Steven and Amethyst took their seats on the front row while Greg and Pearl walked to the center of the arena.

"Whoa! This place is huge... What is this?" he asked.

"This is the ancient sky arena. Some of our earlier battles happened here. Think fast!" She exclaimed as she threw a sword to him.

"Yikes!" Greg exclaimed as he was barely able to catch the blade by it's handle.

"Since you're only suppose to use these techniques for self defense. I'm only going to teach you the basics." Pearl stated as she positioned herself and her sword in front of Greg.

"Wait! If this is for self-defense why not teach me hand to hand combat or martial arts or something?" he asked.

"Yeah, Garnet would have been better at teaching you that. There's no reasoning with her now though... I have no idea what's going on in that head of hers…" She replied.

"Alright, look at how I position my feet and keep your center of gravity low to keep yourself balanced."

"Like this?" Greg asked.

"Yes but just keep your body just a bit lower. Now position your sword in front of you like this." Pearl said as she positioned her body in the proper way.

"Ah, got it!" Greg said as he copied her position.

"Okay, now let's see how good you'll be able to swing that." Pearl said as she summoned her hologram self.

* * *

After an hour of training Amethyst left, a bit discontent that the session was not as interesting as she thought. Pearl continued teaching Greg some of the basic techniques while Steven watched on the bleachers. Suddenly Greg tripped on a rock and fell down to the ground bringing Pearl with him.

Their faces were inches away from each other. Pearl was disgusted by their brief contact but for some reason that even she can't answer she blushed a light shade of blue when she felt Greg's hot breath against her face. Greg's face turned bright red when he realized the positions they were in. He immediately stood and helped Pearl get up as well.

"I-I'm sorry!" he exclaimed.

"No harm done. I think we're done for today. We all need a rest." she replied.

"and maybe I would need a shower..." Pearl muttered to herself in disgust.

"Are you guys alright?" Steven called out.

"Yeah, we're fine." Greg answered back.

They sat down on the bleachers next to Steven then they all discussed their progress for that day. Pearl then took out a sword from her gem and handed it to Greg.

"Here" she said.

Greg looked at the sword in her hands. It was a shiny new short sword with a black leather-bound hilt. "You're giving me this sword?" he asked while taking it from her.

"Yeah, you need it to actually fight and don't have one, right?"

"No, not really. Thanks Pearl. I'll treasure it." He smiled at her.

"You're welcome. Let's go. It's time for us to head back now." She said as she got up and walked towards the portal with Greg and Steven following behind.

"Wait, so are you guys friends now?" Steven asked as the portal took them back to the temple.

* * *

 _Okay, chapter 5 is done and is it just me or are the chapters getting longer and longer. Anyway, remember when I said I don't actually ship Greg/Pearl. Well, I sort of do now hahaha._


	6. Chapter 6

Steven excitedly walked towards his father's car wash. He was thinking of relaying to him some of his recent adventures if his father was not very busy with his business. Upon reaching the place, he looked around and became understandably confused; it was an hour past the opening but his father was was not managing the place. In fact, he was nowhere to be seen in the area. He tried to open the van but it was locked, he couldn't even peep inside because of the heavy tinting. He was was starting to worry about him. He should have been here.

"Dad!" He finally called out.

"Dad! Where are you?"

"Son, I'm here. Just wait a second okay." He replied.

Steven followed the sound of his father's voice. It led him to the back door of the van. Greg suddenly exited the vehicle, bringing a huge pile of his belongings with him.

"Oh darn! Now, i'm going to have to clean up this mess..." He muttered under his breath.

He gave his son an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about the mess, Steven."

"What's going on here?" He asked.

"Well, its a funny story actually. I-uh sort of lost the keys to the car wash. Can't operate the entire thing without it." He replied while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

Steven looked inside his father's van. It's interior was in a much worse shape than the last time that he saw it. His father's stuff was scattered all over the place. He couldn't even see the floor anymore. It was no surprise that something as small as keys would get lost in the pile. He looked back at his father. "I can see why... You have an organizing problem, dad. He remarked.

"Do you think we need to clean out the entire van? I-I really can't find them anymore." Greg asked.

Steven nodded. "Don't worry dad, I know just the gem who can help us."

"You're not going to ask Amethyst again are you?"

"Nope, I'm gonna ask Pearl." He said as he ran back to the temple.

After a few minutes Steven came running back towards his father looking as excited as ever. Pearl was following behind him in a much slower pace.

Greg waved to the two of them in welcome.

"Thanks for the help Pearl. I really need to look for those keys. Can't make a living without em." He said.

Pearl smiled at him. "Its no trouble Greg. I'm sure we'll be done with- this in-a... jiffy..." Her smile turned into a look of concern upon seeing the inside of the van.

"Yeah, ummm- we should start now..." she commented.

The three of them started clearing out the vehicle. Pearl was inside the van picking up the objects one by one. She would then give them to Steven who would sort them out in labeled storage boxes together with his father. As they were organizing, Steven told him some of his recent exploits; both father and son were having a wonderful time despite doing a chore. Pearl was enjoying herself as well, she loves sorting out messes and she would even tell Greg some of the details that Steven missed out on his stories.

She was looking through some of the old records when she noticed some shiny silver metallic object underneath the pile. She took it out and showed it to Steven and Greg.

"Are these it?" She said smugly as she spun the keys on her finger.

"Yeah, that's it! You found them!" Greg exclaimed happily in reply.

Pearl tossed the keys to him and he was able to catch them easily.

Greg smiled at them both gratefully. "Thanks guys... Uh, I have to open It's a Wash now. Is it alright that we continue this tomorrow?"

"Aww, but we're having so much fun..." Steven commented in a disappointed tone.

"It's alright Steven, we'll come back tomorrow." Pearl told him as she patted him on the head.

"How about we continue cleaning this up, Pearl, while dad runs the car wash." Steven suggested.

"Well, as much as I want to wrap all this up immediately. You're father would have the final say about this." She replied.

Greg scratched the back of his head. It would be a bit rude to let the two of them clean up his mess while he runs his business. They did insist though. "If its not too much trouble..." he replied.

* * *

Steven sighed, he and Pearl had been clearing out the van for quite some time and he was growing tired of it. It was only fun when his father was there helping them. There was just something so relaxing and fulfilling with spending time with those two, especially since they get along much better than before. He went inside the van and sat down next to her.

"Pearl, I'm tired... Cleaning this up is not nearly as fun without dad." Steven stated in an exasperated tone.

"Don't worry, we're nearly done but we can take a break if you like." Pearl replied.

"Good..." Steven sighed in relief as he collapsed in the seat.

Pearl was about to join him when something from a stack of papers caught her eye. She took out the object; it was a sketchpad. She flipped through it and saw multiple drawings. Some of the pages had Steven and Rose drawn on them, others contain various still life and landscapes. There was also one picture of Lapis Lazuli for some reason. She wondered if he ever drew them, the other crystal gems. They were all drawn quite well.

"I see that you found dad's sketchpad..." Steven commented.

"Yes, I didn't know Greg draws..." Pearl replied a bit shocked. She never really thought of him as a visual arts type of guy.

"Yeah, its mostly for album covers though." he stated.

Greg came walking towards them. He sat by the edge of the van without looking at them both. "It's time for lunch, you guys. What do you want pizza or-" Greg turned to face them and saw that Pearl was flipping through his sketchbook.

"Oh, I've been looking for that for weeks. Where'd you find it?" Greg asked.

"It was stacked with a bunch of papers. You're uhh a pretty good artist you know." She complemented him.

"Thanks, but music is still my passion!" He replied as he grab hold of the nearest guitar and plucked its strings.

"That's my dad. He wasn't a former one-man band for nothing..." Steven commented.

"So, what about lunch? What are you two hungry for?" Greg asked.

"Pizza!" Steven replied gleefully.

"Great! How about you Pearl, is pizza okay?"

"It's fine, Greg. I'll stay here. I don't really like eating." Pearl said.

"Oh, how about you still join us. You don't have to order anything you know?" he smiled at her understandingly.

"Alright then."

* * *

Greg had just closed the car wash. He walked towards Pearl and Steven who had been relaxing inside the van after having cleaned the place up. He smiled at them and seated himself on the seat together with them.

"This place looks amazing. Thanks a lot guys! I doubt I'll be loosing these babies again." he said while holding up the keys.

"It's no trouble, dad. We're happy to help." Steven replied.

"I just hope you maintain the integrity of this place. The mess this morning was a nightmare..." Pearl shuddered.

"You enjoyed cleaning it though..." Steven commented.

"Uh, that's true..." She reluctantly admitted.

"That's good to hear. Hey, do you want me to make you a portrait, Pearl?" he asked.

"A portrait?"

"Yeah, I saw you looking through my drawings and I just thought you might like that. It's the least I can do." he replied.

"Can I be in the drawing too?" Steven asked enthusiastically.

"I think I'll like it even more if you are." Pearl commented while running her fingers through Steven's hair.

Greg got some thicker paper, a pencil and used the sketchbook as a support, while Steven and Pearl positioned themselves in front of him. They both sat on the van's floor, Steven sat on Pearl's lap and she wrapped her arms around him. They both had huge smiles on their faces.

"You guys look cute!" Greg commented.

He immediately went to work. He was careful to capture all of the details and draw the correct proportions. After sometime he signaled the two of them that his work was finished. He handed the portrait to Pearl who smiled upon seeing it.

"It's beautiful... Thanks Greg."

"It's no trouble."

"We should really get home though. It's getting pretty dark. Don't forget we'll have training tomorrow by the way." Pearl commented.

"I wouldn't. You two go on home now, Steven needs his rest." Greg said as he patted his son on the back.

"Alright, but can we get some doughnuts on the way back?" Steven asked Pearl as they started walking away from the car wash.

"For supper? I think you should consume something healthier." She replied.

"Please..." he begged.

"Alright, but just this once." she reluctantly agreed.

On their way to the doughnut shop Pearl looked at the drawing once again. She never would have thought of Greg as an artist. To be honest, she was even shocked that he could be a good father to Steven. She had always thought that he was just a mere human whose only talent is in music and hoarding. A part of her wanted to know more about him and maybe she will start getting some answers on how Rose fell in love with him in the first place.

"Pearl?" Steven said, breaking her trance.

"Yes, Steven?"

"You and dad are friends right?" he asked.

At that moment, she realized that she no longer hates Greg. On the contrary, she actually likes him and she entertained the idea that they are actually friends now.

"Yes, yes we are." she smiled in reply.

* * *

 _Yay 6th Chapter! I hope you guys liked all of the friendship fluff in this one. :)_


	7. Chapter 7

Connie and Steven were in his room. They were talking about the play that Connie and her parents will attend. It was this musical that's called The Phantom of the Opera. She looked visibly excited about the show.

"I can't believe we won the tickets! My mom said it's her favorite musical." She said.

Steven looked at her a bit puzzled. "Uhh, what's it about exactly?" he asked.

"It's about this chorus girl named Christine and how she eventually became a successful opera singer thanks to a mysterious voice that gives her secret singing lessons. She thought it was an angel but it turned out to be this guy who has been living in the theatre's basement. And there's also this love triangle between her, the phantom and her childhood friend, Raoul." She explained.

"Wow, that's a lot to process. It sounds interesting though. The love triangle thing sounds cute." he replied.

"Yeah, I haven't watched it before myself but my mom told me the basic plot. It was based originally on a book. Maybe I'll get a copy of it if I liked the play." She said.

"Yeah, that would be nice. We should read it together." he replied enthusiastically.

"You sound really interested in it, Steven." she stated.

"Of course, it sounds cool."

"I have a surprise for you, My parents got three extra tickets and they want to give to you. So can you come?" she asked him as she showed him the tickets.

"Whoa, we're actually going to a big theatre production! This is bigger than Jamie's plays, right?" He asked excitedly.

"Uh huh!" Connie eagerly nodded in reply.

"That's so cool. My dad might like that too; it is a musical. So can Alexandrite fit in the theatre?" Steven asked.

"Steven please, don't bring any fusions... Unless we're talking about Garnet of course... That dinner with your umm- 'mom'? was a disaster. If it wasn't for- Uh, you know what happened." she reminded him.

The warp pad suddenly lit up. It was the rest of the Crystal Gems returning from their most recent mission. Steven and Connie greeted them excitedly.

"How's the mission, guys?" He asked.

"It was great, that lava monster almost toasted Pearl!" Amethyst exclaimed in a joking manner.

Pearl sighed at her in annoyance.

"We did get the gem, so it was great." Garnet said while bubbling up the gem of their most recent adversary.

"So, what have you two been doing?" Amethyst asked while she and the rest of the gems walked towards Connie and Steven.

"Connie got us tickets to The Phantom of the Opera. It's next week. Who wants to come with me and dad?" he asked them happily.

"Uh, what's that exactly?" Pearl asked.

"It's this really cool musical. There's romance, and singing and uh- action I think..." he replied.

"Will there be food?" Amethyst asked.

"I don't think so... You get to dress up nicely though. It's not required but it is encouraged and that's always fun." Connie answered.

"Then I'll pass. Garnet might be interested though. You are into all this romantic stuff, aren't ya?" Amethyst said.

"That does sound nice but I'm busy at that time. I-uh, have a solo mission." Garnet replied.

"I guess you'll have to come with us Pearl." Steven stated.

"Alright then, who else is going with us?" Pearl asked.

"Connie's family is going and we're going with dad." He replied.

"Have you asked him yet?" she asked.

"Nope, we're actually going there right now. C'mon Connie!" Steven explained as he grabbed Connie by the arm and rushed out of the house.

"He seems really excited about this." Pearl stated.

"You should go follow them, Pearl." Garnet said.

Pearl looked at her a bit confused and extremely worried. "Are they going to get into trouble on the way there? Oh my gosh! Steven wait!" She exclaimed as she chased after the two children.

"Shouldn't we follow them too?" Amethyst asked, a bit worried herself.

"No, don't worry about it. No one's in danger." Garnet stated.

Amethyst looked at her suspiciously. "You're up to something aren't you?" she asked.

Garnet only gave her a slight smile in reply. She then turned her back from her and went inside her room.

* * *

Pearl arrived in Greg's car wash a few seconds after Steven and Connie. The two have already told him about the play and he had already agreed to go with them.

"Steven! Are you okay?" Pearl immediately hugged him upon catching up.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Steven answered, somewhat confused.

Pearl loosened her grip on him. She looked at him with concern and bemusement "But Garnet-"

"Oh she must have sent you here because she foresaw our fashion problem." he replied.

"Fashion problem?"

"Yeah, turns out dad doesn't have anything fancy enough to wear, other than that shirt he wore to dinner with Connie's parents but we want him to get a new one."

"Steven, I think that outfit would be okay." Connie stated.

"But if we want to impress your parents, my dad definitely needs new clothes..." Steven replied.

"And I think its about time that I get some new duds." Greg agreed.

"You want me to help you with shopping?" Pearl asked.

"Of course, we need the input of a lot of people- the more the merrier." Steven told her.

"So Pearl, how about it? Are you up for a shopping trip?" Greg asked.

"Sure, why not." She smiled in reply.

The four of them went around the various clothing outlets in Beach City. It took a while for Greg to pick out an outfit that he liked and was also appropriate for the event. Eventually though, he settled for a simple black suit and a white dress shirt. Steven also got himself a new suit. They were just about to pay for their clothes when Greg remembered that Pearl and Connie didn't pick out clothes of their own.

"Pearl, Connie, you're not getting anything. I have been having a lot of luck with the car wash lately I can pay-"

"Don't worry, Mr. Universe. My mom already bought me a new dress." Connie replied.

"How about you Pearl? I saw that you were looking at a blue dress earlier. I can buy that for you if you like?"

"It's fine Greg, you don't have to do that. I can change my clothes at will." She stated.

"Oh yeah, Rose used to do that too..." He reminisced.

"C'mon guys, let's pay for this so we can eat. I'm a bit hungry." Steven said.

Greg smiled at his son. "Yeah, me too. Don't worry Steven, we can get some hotdogs afterwards."

The two children cheered while Pearl smiled in response. She may not like to eat but she certainly likes spending time with them.

* * *

 _Guys, I hope you like this chapter, even if its a little on the short side. Why Phantom of the Opera you ask? It is actually the first play I thought of._

 _This is essentially the start of a new "story arc" for this fic but I'm going on a short hiatus because I'm pretty busy with some student assistant stuff right now and I want to focus on that. The next update might be on Saturday or Friday depending on where you live. I hope you guys understand._


	8. Chapter 8

_Okay, thank you for being really understanding. Here's the next chapter and I hope you guys will like it._

* * *

Greg brought the van to the front of the temple. He went there hours before the show; they still have to drive a long way since the play will be shown in another city. He was let in the house and he sat down on the couch as he waited for Pearl and Steven to get ready.

"Dad, Pearl will be out in a minute but in the meantime, what do you think?" Steven asked him after he tied his bow tie.

"You look great- really dashing and handsome." he complemented.

Sure enough, a couple of minutes later, Pearl emerged from her bedroom. She was wearing a flowy light blue cocktail dress with silver accents that goes down to her knees, white stilettos and a star shaped silver clip on her hair.

"I'm sorry it took a while. I couldn't decide what type of dress I wanted." She explained.

Steven smiled at her happily while Greg could feel the heat rising from his cheeks. Both of them stared at her dumbfounded, neither of them had really seen her dress up in formal wear.

"I-I'm not really sure if this is appropriate but based on my research this is fitting for the event. So uh-w-will this do?" She asked nervously.

"Pearl, that's perfect!" Steven exclaimed.

"Yeah, you're beautiful-very beautiful..." Greg agreed, his face now a bright red shade.

"Aww, haha... I wouldn't say that... But thank you, Greg. That was kind of you." Pearl replied, a bit flustered.

They got into the van and started driving away from Beach City. Greg was driving, Steven sat with him in front while Pearl was seated at the back.

"So, what can I expect from these plays? I was told this will be somewhat different from the one Jamie directed." She asked.

"A little, the stage will be bigger and there will surely be a lot more people." Greg replied.

"And we can dress up, there are more visual effects and more actors- It'll be great!" Steven announced.

"I'm sure it will, Steven." Pearl replied despite being unsure if it will be great or not.

A few minutes into their trip Steven fell fast asleep. He tried to fight his tiredness at first, not wanting to miss anything on their road trip. Eventually though, he gave in and allowed sleep to take over him.

"I told him not to stay up late but he never listened. Well, at least he'll get some rest now." Pearl commented upon seeing him fast asleep.

"Must have been excited for the show. So, are you as eager about this as Steven?" Greg asked.

"Well, this is definitely something new for me. I am a little apprehensive about this though." She replied.

"Why?"

"I have never been to such a huge theater production and I don't really see the appeal in this. "

"But you went to Jamie's play..." He reasoned.

"Of course, I want to support Steven. Who wouldn't want to see him up on stage in his cute little costume. Besides, I edited a huge part of it so its only right for me to show up." She replied.

"I see..."

They were both quiet for the next few minutes. Out of all of the gems, Pearl was the least adjusted to the ways of humans. Greg knows about this of course but he couldn't help but feel disappointed that even after thousands of years of staying in earth, she still could not understand humans very well nor does he think that she liked them very much.

"Hey Pearl, can I ask you a question." He asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"Sure, what is it?"

"What are humans to you?" He asked in a slightly apprehensive tone.

Pearl was a little bit taken aback by the question; she has no idea how to respond. No human has ever asked her that before nor had she ever put much thought on their value. What does she think of humans? If she was asked this several years ago, she would have described them in a very scientific and derogatory way. After having spend a lot of time with Steven and some of his friends though, she felt unsure. Their lives still seems short and holds little to no significance but other than that she has nothing to say.

"Answer me honestly, okay?" Greg added.

"Humans, also known as homo sapiens are organic bipedal creatures with 46 chromosomes. They are classified under the kingdom animalia, phylum chordata, class mamalia, order primate-" She was cut off.

"Pearl, that's not what I mean. I wanted to ask you what you think of us-us humans." He clarified.

She knew what he meant. She just doesn't want to answer. "Oh, I thought you wanted a more scientific approach." She lied.

"Alright then, humans have short lives which holds little to no significance. However, I do admit that they're rather complex and I know little of them in terms of culture." She said a bit embarrassed.

Greg gave her a sad smile. "That's understandable and yeah, our lives are rather short compared to you gems but have you ever tried to learn more about us in terms of our culture, tradition, psychology, mentality and other things like that?"

"I have read a lot of books on social science and I found them very fascinating but that's not what you meant, is it?. Truth is, I know very little about humans, I don't really have much to say about them."

"Do you want to?" Greg asked.

"You're asking me if I want to learn more about humans?" Pearl asked to confirm.

"Yeah, I can help you. I am a human you know." He offered.

"Why do you care about this all of a sudden?" Pearl asked defensively.

"Uh-well, because we're friends and I thought you might want to know more about us." He replied, still a bit unsure if that really is the reason.

"Sure, it wouldn't hurt to learn more and besides Rose would probably want me to..." Pearl replied with a sad smile.

"Don't worry. We're going to make this fun. Going to the theater is a good start. Think of this as-uh, fieldwork."

* * *

They soon arrived at the theater. Steven was already awake and was looking out at the sights in the bigger city. They parked the van nearby then they walked towards the theater. They met the Maheswarans in the lobby then they both entered the main hall together for the show. They were seated near the front, Mr. and Mrs. Maheswaran sat next to each other, while Connie sat next to the left of her mother. Steven insisted on sitting on her left, Pearl sat next to Steven and Greg sat next to her.

A few minutes after taking their seat, the show started. All of them focused their attention onto the stage. They watched the show, while making a few side comments in some of the parts.

"How'd they get the boat to move on the stage like that?" Steven whispered to Connie.

"Expertly done special effects, probably." Connie replied.

"Whoa! Where did those candles came from?"

"I think it came from below the stage. They just slowly raised them. The mist probably hides all of the levers and other stuff." She replied.

"Wait, so this weird masked man stalks her, fools her into thinking he's some sort of divine being, brings her to the creepiest place imaginable and expects her to love him?" Pearl asked, a bit confused.

"Yeah, the whole went insane from being lonely and isolated is sort of his schtick." Greg replied.

"Alright then..." Pearl replied, still a bit weirded out by the concept.

"Aww, he's just sad and lonely... I hope Christine chooses him." Steven commented at the last part of the play.

"No, she chose the other guy..." he stated in a disappointed tone upon watching the rest of the scene.

After the play had ended, their group exited the theater and talked among themselves in the lobby.

"It was just as good when I first saw it. I just wish they changed the ending though... Obviously, Christine should have chosen the phantom." Mrs. Maheswaran commented.

"Well, there was a sequel. I think it was called Love Never Dies. They did technically-" Mr. Maheswaran replied.

"No, that sequel does not exist to me. It was just- no." She replied angrily.

"O-okay, dear... Whatever you say..." He replied, a bit scared of his wife's outburst.

"How about you guys, did you like it?" Greg asked Steven, Connie and Pearl.

"It was pretty good, I agree with Connie's mom though." Steven commented.

"I don't know, he may seem appealing and sexy but the phantom is still insane and dangerous." Connie stated.

"I have to agree with Connie. The play was alright and it ended well. It is simply illogical for her to choose the phantom. They're just too different; they essentially came from different worlds." Pearl stated.

"Yeah, but if they loved each other well enough it could have worked out." Greg commented.

"I guess, the phantom didn't love her enough..." Steven pondered.

"Enough of this theater stuff. It's still a bit early but part of our night is a fancy dinner at a restaurant nearby. Who's hungry?" Mr. Maheswaran asked.

"I am a bit hungry, Mr. Maheswaran." Steven commented.

"I could also use a decent meal." Connie added.

"It's settled then. Let's go, you can order anything from the menu. Its all on me!" He replied.

Their group exited the venue and headed towards the nearest restaurant.

* * *

 _I hope you guys like this one. I'll definitely post the next chapter a lot faster than this one._


	9. Chapter 9

_I'm really glad, people enjoy my story and thank you everyone for all of the feedback. I really appreciate it. I'm really sorry for the unannounced hiatus but the good thing is my prof dismissed us, there's no more work left. So I'm free for the rest of the summer. Yay!_

* * *

Steven, Greg and Pearl seated themselves across the table from the Maheswaran family. The waiter handed them each a menu. Everyone except Pearl eagerly looked at the available food. A few minutes later, the waiter came back and took their orders.

"I'll have the duck a l'orange." Connie ordered.

"I'll have the spaghetti bolognese." Said Steven.

"I'll have the dry-aged steak." Greg said.

"I'll have the chicken and saffron risotto and the truffle and spinach cannelloni for my wife." Mr. Maheswaran ordered.

"Aren't you going to order?" Mrs. Maheswaran asked Pearl upon noticing that she didn't order anything.

"Oh, its alright. I don't need to eat." She replied.

"If you're sure." said Mr. Maheswaran.

The waiter repeated their orders and once they were sure he left and they all waited for their food.

"That play was very well done, right Connie?" Mrs. Maheswaran asked her daughter.

"Yes, mom. You were right, it was a good play." Connie said.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Personally, I think the play is the best version. Even the original book and movies are nothing compared to it." Mrs. Maheswaran replied.

"Even the 1925 film?" Mr. Maheswaran asked.

"Of course." She stated.

"But that was my favorite." he retorted.

Eventually, their discussion turned into a heated debate. The rest of them couldn't relate to the topic and they just looked looked at Connie's parents in confusion. Sick of the akwardness, Steven asked Connie about the latest book series she's been reading. Not long after, the two of them were so invested in their topic, they managed to ignore Mr. and Mrs. Maheswaran's silly debate.

Pearl looked at Greg questioningly. "What are they discussing?"

"Who are we talking about here? Connie and Steven or Connie's parents?" He asked.

"Either..." She replied.

"I don't understand either..."

The two of them were silent for a while, they tried to listen to the conversations of their friends but they only got more confused. They tried to join in Steven and Connie's conversation but neither of them could keep up or relate to their topic.

"So, the play was originally a Broadway musical right? IS that one of your preferred genres? Pearl asked him in order to break the silence.

"Nah, not really... I like to listen to a few songs from those types of shows but they're not exactly my type. How about you, are you into music?"

"Of course, I might look into more of this broadway stuff. It seems fascinating, to be honest." She admitted.

"Yeah, and it might help you understand more about humans." He pointed out.

They continued with their conversation until the food was brought to their table. Their entire group engaged in small talk while dining on their food. Eventually it was time for dessert. They ordered the restaurant's specialty- baked alaska.

The restaurant serves their dessert in individual portions. Each serving was placed directly in front of them. Their server then took out a blowtorch and moved towards Steven. He turned it on and as soon as Pearl saw the flame close to Steven, she immediately panicked. She grabbed the water jug placed on their table and splashed it on the waiter. A third of their table was wet but most of the water started pooling down into the aisle. Before anyone could process the incident, a clumsy waiter slipped on the wet floor and crashed into the next table.

Everyone at their table (including the soaked waiter) stared at Pearl in confusion and shock. Her cheeks turned into a light shade of blue.

* * *

Steven and Connie unsuccessfully their laughter as they left the restaurant. Mrs. Maheswaran rambled on about how their night was ruined, while her husband was relieved he didn't have to pay extra. Greg thought it was funny as well but his attempts at hiding his laughter went better than Steven and Connie's.

"I acted out of instinct! Didn't you see how close that flame was to him?" Pearl defended herself.

"It's alright, it happened already. There wasn't much damage to the restaurant and the guy only got a few minor bruises." Greg said.

Steven looked at her with a big grin on his face. "Yeah, and don't worry, Pearl. It could have been worse. If you had taken out your spear-"

"Yes Steven, that's very funny. Maybe it would have been better if I showed no concern for you." Pearl replied in a sarcastic and upset tone.

Sensing the anger in her tone of voice, he immediately stopped giggling and looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, I was just joking. Don't be mad, Pearl." Steven apologized as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Aww, don't worry. I'm not mad at you. I just didn't like the fact that you make fun of other's mistakes." She replied while returning his hug.

"I won't do it again. I promise." He announced.

"I don't understand it though. He goes on dangerous missions with you all of the time and you're worried that he might get minor burns from a restaurant's blowtorch." He stated matter-of-factly.

"L-like I said, i-it was out of instinct and I-uh panicked..." she admitted, the color of her cheeks turning into a light shade of blue.

"Guys, can we go to the park?" Connie asked as she pointed to the park nearby.

"Alright, but we shouldn't take long. It's getting pretty late." Her mother replied.

Their group walked towards the park. Connie and Steven sat down on a bench and looked towards the sky. Greg and Pearl sat in another bench nearby. They both looked up. The night sky was free from any clouds and the moon was shining brightly. However, only a few stars were visible.

"There are a lot less stars out in this big city." Greg commented.

"Yes, the lights from the surrounding area obscures our vision of the less brighter stars in the sky." Pearl said.

"I like the view way better back home."

"Home..." Pearl whispered in a sad tone.

It's true that after so many years of living on earth, Pearl has grown used to living on earth. Especially since she almost got Steven killed when they build a rocket together. She couldn't help it but sometimes she still misses Homeworld and all of the space travel she used to do.

"You okay?" Greg asked in a concerned tone.

"Yes, don't worry about it. It's just that-"

Greg smiled at her understandingly. "I get it, you miss space. You miss Homeworld."

"A little, yes." She admitted.

"B-but don't get me wrong. I don't regret defending earth. What they did was not fair-"

"Hey, don't worry about it. Even though you miss Homeworld a little doesn't mean you're unwillingly defending earth. You don't have to be ashamed about it." He comforted.

"I know... Thank you..." She smiled at him thankfully and he smiled at her in return.

"You know, I always wanted to go to space." Greg said, while looking out into the sky.

"It's wonderful. There's so much to see out there..."Pearl commented while looking out longingly into the sky.

"Don't ever try to make a rocket out of old plane parts again though." He warned.

"Alright, I promise."

* * *

After some time, Connie and Steven both grew tired and sleepy. The Maheswarans bid them farewell and left for home. Greg carried his sleepy son and they went back to the van.

"D-dad, I'm too old to be c-carried. Besides, I-I'm not sleepy..." Steven said groggily before giving out a big yawn.

"Just sleep now, Steven. You need your rest." He told his son as he laid him down on the back seat.

"I hope you don't mind sitting in front." He told Pearl.

"It's no trouble." She replied as she got in the front seat and buckled her seat belt.

Their drive back was rather uneventful. They played a few CD's that they both liked and engaged in the occasional small talk. They kept their voices low though so as not to disturb Steven.

"It looks like he had a lot of fun." Greg said.

"Yes, he seemed to enjoy himself. Just look how exhausted he is though." She said as she glanced at the back seat.

Steven was fast asleep in the backseat. His head was pressed against a pillow that his father had placed there and he used his coat as a makeshift blanket. Pearl looked at his sleeping form.

"He looked so adorable..." She commented.

"Yeah, that's my little boy." He stated.

Once they arrived at the temple. They got out of the van and Pearl got Steven out of the backseat and carried him all the way to his bed with Greg following behind. They removed his shoes and placed a blanket over his sleeping form.

"Goodnight, son." Greg whispered as he kissed him on the forehead.

The two of them walked towards the door.

"Well, I better get going. Good night, Pearl." He said as he walked out of the door.

"Good night, Greg." She replied with a smile before closing the door shut.

Greg went back to his van. He got out of his formal clothes and when he was about to put on his pajamas, he saw the sword that Pearl had given to him; it was safely secured in its scabbard and was placed in a spot where he can easily retrieve it. The weapon reminded him of Pearl and for some reason that is still unknown to him, the thought of her made him smile.

* * *

 _Alright, I hope all of you liked this chapter._


	10. Chapter 10

_Yay! Chapter 10 I hope you guys will like this and the theories mentioned in this chapter are actual theories in the social sciences_

* * *

Pearl went to the library together with Steven, they agreed to meet there with Greg. She grabbed a few books on social science, while Steven looked for some of the books that Connie recommended to him. They took a seat on one of the tables. The two of them started reading their respective books. They discussed their respective readings every once in a while.

"So how's that book Pearl?" Steven asked.

"It's fine. It just explains the structural functionalism theory."

"Okay. Uh...What's that?"

"It's a theory in sociology that states that a society is made up of different parts interacting with one another. Apparently all of these parts are crucial and if one part were to stop working the entire society will be subjected to instability." She stated.

"Uhh, sooo it's like... a human body. If one of my organs stop working I'll get sick?"

"Good analogy, Steven." She praised him.

Greg suddenly rushed towards them and pulled out the chair next to Pearl. "Hey guys, I'm really sorry for running late." he apologized.

"It's fine, Greg. We haven't been here for long." Pearl said.

"So, what have you two been up to?" He asked.

"Pearl's been teaching me about structures? Structure functions?" Steven looked at Pearl for confirmation.

"It's structural functionalism." She corrected.

"Well, its good that you're learning more about us." Greg smiled.

"Not really, I've read books about this before. I already know about this." She sighed.

"Maybe it's just that book. Here, try this one." He said handing her another sociology book.

Pearl took it from him and looked at its cover. " This one's about symbolic interactionism. It states that each person's perspective and views are developed through interacting with society and his or her view on the world is based on their social definition which has been developed through social interaction..." She stated as she placed the book down the stack.

"Maybe we need to change the subject." Steven suggested.

"Right, son. Here Pearl, how about psychology?" Greg said as he handed her the book.

Pearl took it in her hands. The book was entitled Freudian Psychology. Upon reading the title she gave it back to Greg. "Yes, I know about Sigmund Freud. I'd rather not discuss his theories." She said as a slight blush formed on her cheeks.

"Wait! Can you tell me about symbolic interrelation again?" Steven asked in a happy tone.

"It's symbolic interactionism and don't see how this can help but alright. It states that each person's perspective and views are developed through interacting with society-"

Steven cut her off "That's it!"

"What's it?" She asked.

"You shouldn't be cooped up in an old quiet building with your nose buried deep in books. You should be out there- interacting with society!" He announced proudly.

"He's right!" Greg agreed.

"I guess that's true... But I don't know about this maybe I'll get it somehow if I read enough..." She replied, a bit hesitant about Steven's idea.

"C'mon Pearl, it'll be fun!" Steven said in trying to persuade her.

"We're going to take this slow. Don't worry." Greg reassured her.

"Alright then. I'm in." Pearl said with a confident smile.

"Before that. Can I borrow some of these books?" Steven asked as he pointed to the books he got for himself.

* * *

For the next few weeks after their agreement at the library, Pearl, Greg and Steven have been hanging out with each other every weekend. On Saturday mornings they would continue their sword training together with Connie then in the afternoon and on Sundays they would see a movie, dine at a restaurant, go to fairs, theme parks and anything that Steven deems to be fun. Sometimes Amethyst and Garnet joins them but usually it was just the three of them. One day, Steven decided to spend the entire weekend at Connie's place. After bringing him to Connie's house, Greg headed straight towards the temple. Despite Steven not being there, they continued their usual routine.

"You know, its not the same without Steven." Pearl stated while sparring with Greg.

"Why? Don't you like spending time with just me." He teased.

"Oh, it's not that. I've grown to like you Greg. You're a good friend." She admitted.

He was a bit distracted by this statement. "Y-you l-like me?" he asked as his cheeks turned a bit redder.

Pearl managed to knock his sword off of his hand then she aimed her own sword directly at him. "Yes, I like you and I also think you need to be more focused." She said triumphantly.

"Yeah, I need a bit more practice." he admitted.

Pearl withdrawn her sword and stored it back in her gem, while Greg picked up his and placed it back in its scabbard.

"Let's take a short break." Greg requested as he took a seat at the edge of the arena.

"Alright then." She said as she sat next to him.

He wiped away the sweat from his forehead before taking a big gulp out of a cold water bottle. Pearl just looked at him, feeling a bit awkward about the question she intends to ask him.

"Uh Greg, can I ask you a question?" She asked shyly.

"Yeah, what do you need?"

"What can you tell me about dating?" She said a bit awkwardly.

He was taken aback by this question. He never saw her as the dating type. "Dating? Why?" He asked her in confusion

"Well, I sort of have a date for next week." She stated.

Upon hearing those words, he felt slightly upset and annoyed. In fact, he sort of hates her date, even though he doesn't know who he or she is. He was jealous, extremely so but he would never admit that to anyone, even himself.

"Really? Who?" He asked with a sense of urgency and anger in his voice.

She sensed the anger in his voice but this confused her. There was no reason for him to. She thinks that he was probably just shocked by this news and refused to believe that anyone would want to date her. This slightly offended her. "Why are you being so aggressive? Did this news shock you? You don't think anyone would want to date me?" She asked him angrily.

"No, it's just that I didn't know you would want to do this kind of thing." He said in defense.

Pearl heaved a deep sigh and looked down. "I really don't..." She admitted.

"Then why are you doing it? And who is your date anyway." He asked in confusion.

"I don't really know who he or she is. Steven set me up on a blind date. I was reluctant at first but he said it will be good for me and I-I can't really say no to him when he does his cute face..." She told him.

This shocked Greg even more. He slightly felt betrayed for some reason."Steven talked you into this?" He asked.

"Yes, you really seem shocked about this. Do you know anyone else I can ask about dating. I really don't know what to do." She said, a bit disappointed by his his unwillingness to cooperate.

"No, it's okay. I can help you with this. I-I'm really sorry." He said sincerely.

Pearl perked up and smiled. "Alright then. What can you tell me about this dating."

"You're just going to spend some quality time with a person. You know, just enjoying each other's company. In your case though... You're going to spend it in trying to get to know the person." He told her

"That's it?" She asked, a bit shocked that's all she has to do.

"Basically, yeah. Maybe wear some formal clothes if you're going to a fancy restaurant or something. Just be yourself. It would be better if you let your date know who you really are. That can avoid uhh complications."

"I guess I can do that." She said.

"So, how about a rematch?" Greg offered.

* * *

 _Can you guess who Pearl's date will be? ;)_


	11. Chapter 11

_Alrighty! 11th chapter! I'm glad many of you got it right :)_

* * *

Greg was walking around town. He knew that Pearl's date was today and he hated the thought of her dating but he couldn't figure out why so he kept pacing around Beach City trying to figure out what exactly he was feeling.

'Why? Why can't I get her out of my mind?'He said to himself in his head.

He would always think about her. Whenever they were together he felt happier for some reason. His heart would beat faster and the heat would rise to his cheeks. He felt 'tingly' but extremely comfortable with her. He also started noticing the little details about her. Like how her tone would slightly rise whenever she tries to hide her anger or annoyance or the way, or like how she would blush ever so slightly whenever someone praises her and how her smile would light up the entire room.

The last time he felt this way was when he was with Rose. It then all clicked; he could be in love with Pearl. The thought was absurd, he can never love again- not after he met Rose. In his mind it was impossible but it made so much sense.

He then thought that it could all just be admiration. He couldn't possibly fall in love with another. Pearl is admirable- she has so many talents and skills, she's also smart, beautiful, caring and she loves Steven very much. 'At the very least it's pure admiration and at the very most its a mild infatuation.' He said to himself.

Suddenly he saw her sitting in a cafe. Her date had his back turned but he could easily tell that it was Mayor Dewey. She had a straight face on; he couldn't really tell if she was happy with the arrangement or not.

He casually waved at her. She saw this and smiled at him in reply. Mayor Dewey glanced in his direction to find out what his date was smiling at but he immediately walked away before he could notice him.

He continued to walk towards the park, where he saw Steven and Buck sitting on a picnic table together. Steven was looking through a pair of binoculars that he aimed directly at the cafe Pearl and Dewey were in.

"Hi dad!" Steven greeted upon seeing him.

"Hello Steven, uh what are you two doing?" He asked.

"We're making sure Pearl's date goes smoothly." He replied.

"Yeah, maybe if my dad gets a girlfriend he'll stop nagging on me." Buck said in a casual tone.

"So, how's it going?" He asked after he sat down on the table with them.

"I'd say its going great. He looks really happy and I saw her smile once."

"This date is not going well…" Buck commented.

"Why did you set them up, Steven?" Greg asked, slightly disappointed.

"I thought Pearl could use someone special and Mayor Dewey seems interested. They make such a cute couple!" He exclaimed happily.

"I-I don't know about this, son. Don't you think this might be too uh-invasive." Greg asked awkwardly.

"Why? It's just a blind date, dad. She doesn't have to continue dating him if she doesn't want to." Steven reasoned.

"But do they even know you two are watching them?" He asked.

"Not really..." Steven replied, a bit regretful that they invaded on Pearl and Mayor Dewey's privacy.

"It's cool. We're not going to bother them. We're just watching... You don't really need those binoculars though." Buck said.

"Yeah, but they look cool. It makes me feel like a spy." Steven stated.

"Okay then. You know, it makes you look like a spy too." Buck replied with a slight smile.

"You two, umm- continue that if you want... I'll just- I need to take a walk for a little while..." He said sadly as he got up and walked away from the table.

"Alright dad, I'll see you." Steven said, a bit confused and saddened by his father's less than joyous mood.

* * *

Pearl was not excited for this date. She had her suspicions that Steven would try to set her up with Mayor Dewey; he had been giving her little hints the entire week. She still went with it though- it was all for Steven. She couldn't deny that he was way nicer than she initially thought but she found him extremely annoying. He kept talking about the upcoming election, why people should vote for him and some of his achievements. She tried to keep an open mind but the topic grew boring quickly.

It was a good thing that she saw Greg wave at her; she could use something to distract her from the conversation. He would never bore her to death. After seeing him though, she couldn't get him out of her mind for some reason. In fact, she has been thinking about him more often than usual and she doesn't know why. It frustrated her to no end but it won't stop, he just seems to pop up in her mind at random intervals. It was confusing, it was torture but it also gave her a sense of happiness and comfort.

From the corner of her eye she saw Greg again, he has just gotten up from a picnic table and started walking away. Her eyes followed him but then she immediately put her attention back to the table. Buck and Steven were sitting there, both of them were looking towards her direction. She scowled inwardly upon seeing them spying on their date.

"Enough about me, tell me more about you." He offered right before taking a sip out of his coffee cup.

"Uhh, what was that?" Pearl asked, hoping he didn't notice that she stopped listening to him.

"Can you tell me about you?" He asked.

Pearl internally heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing those words. Finally, a change of topic. "Well, I'm a Crystal Gem and not to brag but we sort of defend the planet on a regular basis." She told him.

"Ah yes, you and your companions have saved Beach City countless of times already. I thank you for that." He said with a smile.

"We do our best." Pearl said, obviously flattered by Dewey's comment.

"So, how are you related to the young Universe." He asked.

"To Steven? I'm one of his caretakers, guardian? erm, mother figure? Uhh, I was friends with his late mother." She told him, still a bit unsure of the answer herself.

"I see, its good to know that the child has some guidance from such a wonderful, smart and beautiful woman." He said while slowly moving several inches closer to her.

"Uhh, thanks..." She said as she slowly backed away her chair.

* * *

"Dad seemed upset." Steven told Buck.

"Hmmm, maybe he likes Pearl." He replied, not really putting much thought in the statement.

"What?" Steven asked, a bit shocked by the statement.

"It was just a joke." He reassured him.

"No, what if that's it? I-I think I just matched the wrong people!" Steven exclaimed with worry.

"Hey man, it was a joke. Don't take it seriously..." Buck said in an attempt to calm him down.

"Yeah, but it's a possibility. It makes sense actually." he said in reply.

Greg returned to their table. "So, how are the two lovebirds doing?" Greg asked with a sad smile as he sat next to his son.

"Dad! Do you feel better now?" Steven asked with concern.

"Of course son. I-I was just feeling a bit restless, that's all."

"Looks like their date's nearly over..." Buck stated.

Greg and Steven focused their attention back to the cafe. They walked towards the exit, shook their hands and said goodbye to each other. After Mayor Dewey had left, Pearl looked back in their direction with a scowl on her face.

"Uh, is she looking this way? She looks pretty angry..." Steven said, a bit worried that they were caught.

Pearl walked towards them, still holding her angry expression.

"Looks like it's time for me to bail." Buck said, trying to hide the shakiness of his voice. He immediately got out of his seat and sped away, leaving Steven and Greg to face Pearl's wrath.

"Dad, I think we better go..." Steven said in a panicked tone.

"Oh no you don't! You two, stay there!" Pearl exclaimed angrily.

"Uhh, Hi Pearl. How was your date?" Steven asked with a forced smile.

"Don't change the topic, Steven. Why were you spying on us?" She asked.

"I-uh I was just making sure that things go smoothly..." He replied.

Pearl turned her attention to Greg."And you! You consented him to do this?" She asked, a bit shocked that Greg would agree to such a thing.

"I-I well..." He stuttered, unable to answer her straight.

"It's all my fault. Dad has nothing to do with this. It was all me and Buck!" Steven exclaimed, defending his father.

"Ah yes, Buck. I almost forgot about him. I should really tell his father about this the next time I see him..." Pearl said.

She heaved a deep sigh. "It's fine, I guess, you don't know any better..." She said as she sat down with them.

"But now I know better. I set you up with the wrong person. I-I think the two of you should date, right now!" He said excitedly.

"What?" Greg and Pearl said simultaneously in surprise.

"Yeah, I think it will go well." He said in reply.

"Steven, I-I don't know about this..." Greg said, still a little shocked

"Please! Pearl didn't exactly had a good date with Mayor Dewey and I think it's important that she knows more about dating. It is important to humans right?" He reasoned while making his cute face.

Greg sighed before turning his attention to her. His face was already a bright shade of red but he tried to hide his nervousness. "I'm willing to do this if you are. So, will you be my date, Pearl?" He asked.

She blushed after he offered. She knows that he's only doing it for Steven so why does she feel so lighthearted? She glanced at Steven, he still has his cute face on. He was so persistent and she knew he wouldn't give this up. "Alright, let's do this." Pearl said with a smile.

"Hooray!" Steven exclaimed happily.

"But remember Steven, we're mainly doing this for you. Don't expect anything to happen." She told him.

"I know, take it as a learning experience. Uhh Dating 101?"

"We better get you home first though, or do you want to join in?" Greg said to his son.

Before Steven could answer, Garnet walked towards them.

"Hi Garnet, what are you doing in the park?" Steven asked upon seeing her.

"I'm here to take you home, Steven." She told him in her usual monotonous voice.

"Aww, but-"

"No buts, I have a special mission just for you..." She whispered to him with a smile.

Steven's face lights up "Really?"

"Yes, really."

Garnet looked at Pearl and Greg with a smile. "Good luck on your date you two." She said before leaving with Steven.

* * *

 _Phew, this one's the longest chapter so far. I hope you guys enjoyed this. The next one might take some time though (gotta put extra effort into writing about their date!)_


	12. Chapter 12

_Okay, 12th chapter. I hope you guys will like this one. I made it extra fluffy ;)_

 _Oh yeah and the start of this chapter takes place at about 4 pm more or less._

* * *

After Steven and Garnet left they looked at each other questioningly. Both of them blushed in embarassment. Neither of them were prepared for the sudden date they need to go on.

"So, what do you want to do?" Greg asked Pearl finally breaking the silence.

"Me? I-uh I do't really know anything about this human activity. I think you should plan this one..." She said in reply.

He paused for a moment to think. Restuarants are definetely not an option; she doesn't eat. He doubts that she'll like going to any place that will subject them to a lot of social interaction as well. Then it hit him- the perfect location for their date. He smiled at her excitedly before exclaiming "Aha! I know just the thing but we'll be taking a short road trip. Will that be okay?"

"Sure, I guess that'll be fine." She said in reply.

Greg led Pearl to his van. He held the front door open for her before he sat down on the driver's seat.

"Where are we going?" She asked him.

"It's a surprise." He said gleefully.

"Alright then... You know, its fine with me if its not a surprise." She said, a bit hesitant by the arrangement.

"No way, it'll be better way better as a surprise. Trust me." He commented.

"Okay, looks like I have no choice..." She said a bit dissapointed.

Even though the two of them are technically doing it for Steven, she couldn't help but feel sort of excited for this date. It's true that she doesn't really know where they were going but she still feels happy and comfortable. She doesn't really know why though. Of course, it nagged her to no end that he won't tell her where they're going.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but how was that date with Mayor Dewey?" He asked her.

"It went fine I think... I did get to know him and he knows more about me now but we're not exactly umm-compatible..." She answered a bit uncomfortably.

"I see, don't worry about it. Dating is sort of a trial and error thing. You won't always click." He said.

"Well, that's true. i can't believe Steven thinks we're compatible though." She commented.

"Well, he also tried to set you up with Dewey and we all know that turned out." He recalled with a smile.

"Yes, Steven is talented in many things but matchmaking is definitely not one of them." Pearl stated, knowing that he has set her up with people she couldn't imagine being in a relationship with.

"Yeah... Don't worry though. I'll still try to make this fun for us." He reassured her.

After some time, they reached a small forested area. Greg parked the van on the side of the road and he opened the door for his date.

"We're here?" She asked.

"Almost, its just a very short walk from here. You'll love it. There's a lake nearby." He stated.

The sky was gradually turning yellow as he led her away from the road. It only took them a couple of minutes before they reached a clearing near the edge of a lake. The water was calm and clear, the area was full of lush vegitation. It was evident that people rarely go there.

"It's beautiful here." She said in awe.

"And it will only be a few more minutes before the sun sets." He said as he set a may on the ground right before sitting down.

"You know, we can always watch the sunset in Beach City." She pointed out before sitting next to him.

"Yeah, but its so much more quiet here and Steven might spy on us too..." He pointed out.

"That's true..." She agreed.

She looked around the area. There were some wild flowers near the tree line, the river casts a tranquil and calm atmosphere in the whole place and the birds were chirping happily overhead. Everything about this place is so peaceful and relaxing.

"How did you find this place?" She asked him.

"I've done a lot of traveling back when I was a one man band. I used to find various places like this where I can stop by to relax and reflect on stuff." He replied.

"That sounds nice..."

"It was, I used to bring Rose to one particular place, just a little further away from here. Recently though, some people settled there so I can't really take you there..."

"It's fine. This place is already great... You know, Rose loved the sunsets..." She commented.

"Yeah, she always said something about it being the end and the beginning."

"The sun may set at the end of the day but it will it will rise again in the next." She quoted.

"That's it, that's the one. I always knew the message but I had come to appreciate it more when Steven was born." He said.

She remained silent as she contemplated on the message of Rose's words. Its true that she's gone but she has Steven now and she wouldn't trade all of the moments she had with him for anything. Aside from this, she is starting to get used to life without her. She would probably never admit it, even to herself, but its extremely likely that her weekend excursions with Greg and Steven helped her.

She looked at the sky and noticed that the sun was starting to set on the horizon. The orange rays danced against the water as the sky gradually grew darker. Neither of them spoke for a while, they just enjoyed each other's company in silence. Both of them had grown comfortable with this arrangement, neither of them were big talkers anyway. Eventually, the sun dissapeared and a few stars showed up in the sky. A lot more will surely appear once the remaining glow from the sun dissapears.

"You know another thing that's good about the sunset?" Greg said, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"We get to see the night sky." He replied as he lied down on the ground.

"Yes, there are so many stars. Its wonderful." She said dreamily.

"I wonder what they'll look like if we're in space."

"The view's even better from there." She commented as she lied down as well.

They looked for some recognizable constellations. They named a few that they're familiar with. Eventually, Greg got up and walked towards the van.

"Oh, we're leaving already?" She asked as she sat up, a but dissapointed since she wants to look at the stars some more.

"No, just stay there. I've forgotten something..." He said as he sped towards the van. He returned immediately with a guitar.

He sat next to her and strummed the instrument "I always write a song for my dates and you are no exception." He said with a smile.

"Oh, okay..." She replied, a bit surprised by his actions.

He continued strumming his guitar in a relaxing and rhythmic tune.

 _As we sit here underneath the starry sky_

 _I can't help but look up and wonder why_

 _Why we end up in this place right now_

 _And i can't help but think of how_

 _How we ever became this close_

He looked at her with a huge smile on his face and Pearl couldn't help but smile back at him. He's singing a song- no, he composed a song just for her. This made her feel happier.

 _Because_ _you know its true_

 _You keep me from turning blue_

 _Because of all the things you do_

 _Oh yeah, its true..._

It was subtle and neither of them were aware of it but they moved a few inches closer to each other. Pearl was starting to blush slightly, she doesn't know how a human can make her so happy or why he's always on her mind. He always seem to make her smile, make her feel comfortable and pleased to stay on earth. She had come so far, she doesn't know it yet but she's starting to see why Rose loved the earth in the first place and that's all thanks to Steven and Greg. She's glad that she made him feel the same way too- that she meant a lot to him.

 _But The reason doesn't matter_

 _Things have changed for the better_

 _I hope we'll be in this together_

 _For as long as I'll know forever_

Their smiles widened. It has been a long time since Greg wrote a song for his date. He was nervous at first but after seeing her smile, he became more confident. He put all his heart into continuing the song.

 _Because_ _you know its true_

 _You keep me from turning blue_

 _Because of all the things you do_

 _Oh yeah, its true..._

 _Oh, you know it's true_

 _You keep me from turning blue_

 _Because I... Because I..._

 _Its true that I-_

He stopped singing abruptly. His cheeks were already bright red. She looked at him expectingly, she was blushing in a much deeper shade but he could have never noticed that in the darkness. He can only see the light from the moon and the stars accentuate her features and her smile but that was enough to make him realize that he'd want to see her more often and that her mere presence makes him joyous.

"Ummm, I-I forgot the next line... I'm really sorry about that. He lied.

"Oh..." She said a bit disheartened. She wanted him to continue the song. It was good and he was very sweet. She may never admit to it though.

"But what do you think?" He asked her.

"It was good... For a song that you composed on the spot that is."

"Yeah, sorry about that. This whole thing was just as much a surprise to me." He reasoned.

"Do you take all your dates to isolated locations in the forest during the evening." She asked him

"No, just you and Rose. Humans will get creeped out if you take them here. Especially on a first date." He stated.

"Why?" She asked in confusion

"Because... Erm, because its kind of suspicious to ask your date to go to the woods with you at nighttime. People might think you mean them harm." He answered rather awkwardly.

"For a human, that would make sense..." She pondered.

"Yeah, thank you for trusting me to plan all of this. I had fun. I hope you did too." He said as he unconsciously placed his hand over hers.

Her cheeks turned into a light shade of blue upon feeling his hand against hers. She didn't move away. She just look at him happily and said. "I did, thank you..."

* * *

 _Just a little warning for you dear readers, unless you're a powerful nearly-immortal magical space rock that can take out weapons from a certain location from your body at any given moment, I suggest you to refuse to go to any sort of date taking place in an isolated forest away from any kind of human settlement. I will not be held responsible for any injuries sustained if you do so. XD_

 _BTW, I won't be able to upload chapters as often as I used to because of school. Gotta earn that degree!_

 _Anyway, thank you for all of the support you have given. I love reading all of your comments and I'm happy that I'm not alone in this ship :)_


	13. Chapter 13

_Okay, 13th chapter. :)_

* * *

They got into the van and started driving back home. They were only a few minutes into the journey when she heard a rumbling sound.

"What was that?" Pearl asked in a slightly panicked tone.

"Erm, sorry that was my stomach." Greg replied, a little embarrassed.

"You weren't able to eat because of me?" She asked, a bit guilty and concerned.

"N-no, its not your fault. I could have eaten. I-i just forgot." He reassured her.

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe." She joked.

"Yeah, but it did happened. Weird huh? There are a couple of sandwiches at the back. Can you reach them?"

"Sure."

They stopped for a while so Greg can eat. Pearl insisted so they can leave immediately. Their journey back was quite uneventful. He offered her a sandwich but she refused, she was not yet ready to ingest food and he respected her decision.

The trip back to Beach City was a lot quicker than the trip to the woods. They talked for a while but eventually Greg fell asleep. Pearl let him rest. She glanced at him; he was such a heavy sleeper. She couldn't help but smile upon seeing him.

'What's happening to me?' She internally asked herself. She did not understand any of this but she wants to. It confused her to no end. She couldn't processes how a human can make her this happy. "Oh Greg, why must you be so nice? It'll be easier if you weren't..." She whispered.

He stirred a little. She looked at him to make sure that he's still asleep; he was. "Pearl..." He whisphered in his sleep. She looked at him again to confirm that she had not woken him; she hasn't. She blushed a little, knowing that he's probably dreaming about her. It probably means nothing though. He couldn't possibly like her, it just so happens that she was a part of hus dream; nothing more and nothing less, she thought.

Greg woke up moments before they reached the temple. He escorted Pearl to the front door.

"Thank you driving." He said.

"It was no trouble, you humans do need your sleep." She said in reply.

"Well, I better get back to the van. You have a good night." He said.

"You won't say goodnight to Steven?" She asked.

"He's probably asleep by now. It's 12 am, he needs to rest." He stated.

"Alright then... I hope you have a good night too."

She watched him leave the porch before closing the door shut. Steven told her not to watch him sleep but she couldn't help herself. She had to at least check on him. She walked towards his bed. It was dark but she could tell that his blanket was draped over his entire body. She sat on the edge of his bed, he did not stir. He must probably be fast asleep already. She was about to get up but he immediately removed the blanket and smiled at her.

"Mommy! You're back!" He exclaimed as he got up from the bed.

"Steven, did I disturb you? Wait, what did you call me?" She asked, feeling concerned and a bit confused.

"Don't worry you didn't. I wanted to wait for you to return home. I wanted to make sure you had a good time with dad, mommy." Steven said.

"Uh Steven, why do you call me that. I'm not your mother." She said in reply, her cheeks a light shade of blue from being a bit embarrassed by the title he had given to her.

"You've went on a date with dad. That counts for something, right?" He stated happily.

"It was just a casual thing. I did have fun though." She replied, recalling her evening with Greg.

"I'm glad..." He said groggily before giving out a big yawn.

Upon noticing his tiredness. She looked at him with concern. "You should really go to sleep. Its late."

"But I'm not sleepy..." He complained, his voice still sounding tired.

"Really? Well, you could have fooled me..." She replied sarcastically.

"I swear, I'm not..." He stated before giving out another big yawn.

"Go to sleep, Steven." She said, a bit sternly than before.

"Not before I show you this..." He said just before reaching out to grab a framed picture from the side of his bed. He handed it to her, he looked tired but it was evident that he was excited to show it to her.

Pearl took the picture from his hands. Despite the darkness, she can still make out what was in the frame- it was a drawing of the two of them. Below the drawing it was signed G. Universe. She smiled upon recalling the events of that day and upon remembering the date she had. Their relationship had come so far, their extremely close friends now and to think, there was once a time when she couldn't even bear to be in the same room as him.

"This is the portrait your father made for us. You had it framed. You asked me first before going into my room without any consent though." She said.

"No, we framed it ourselves. Garnet helped me in getting and placing it in the frame." He stated.

"I see. You did an excellent job. I just wish you two, didn't looked through my things..." She said.

"Thank you, and don't worry. We didn't touch anything else." He reassured her.

"Alright then, you better get to sleep now. It's late." She reminded him.

Steven gave out a huge yawn before placing his head against the pillow. "You've changed...You're more-" He yawned again before finishing his statement.

"I hope that's a good thing."

"It is... Can you stay with me even for a while, mommy..." He said groggily, his eyelids were starting to droop down from being so sleepy.

"I will, just please don't call me that." She replied as she ran her fingers against his hair.

"Okay..." He said just before closing his eyes.

She kissed him on the forehead and whispered. "Good night, Steven."

She watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful, so innocent- so vulnerable. Before he found out, she used to watch him sleep out of fear that something bad would happen to him. She knows that sleep was needed by humans in order to gain energy to do various tasks and activities but it always seem so dangerous to do; they leave themselves so vulnerable, so prone to danger. The stories about people who sleep and never woken up troubled her further. She always worry that it might happen to Steven and for some reason, the thought of it happening to Greg entered her mind. It scared her. This confused her more, she has never been this worried about him before.

After some time, the door to their temple opened. It was Amethyst and she immediately noticed Pearl.

"I thought Steven told you not to watch him anymore." She said in a joking tone.

"Keep your voice down, Amethyst. He's sleeping and he specifically told me to stay with him. How about you? What are you doing here?" Pearl said in a low volume as she walked towards Amethyst.

"Getting a midnight snack. What else?" She replied while fixing herself a huge sandwich with both edible and inedible ingredients.

"I see..." Pearl replied upon seeing the tall sandwich on her plate.

"Hey, did you notice that Garnet has been acting strangely. Especially around you and Greg?" Amethyst asked.

"What do you mean?" Pearl replied in confusion.

"C'mon Pearl, you can't be this dense? She's been excusing you on weekend missions, she smiles whenever she sees you with Greg and that 'special mission' she gave to Steven. I have no idea what that was about, neither of them will tell me." She stated.

"You have a point. But what do you think she's planning?" She asked, intrigued by this new finding.

Amethyst smiled at her mischievously. "I have a pretty good idea about it but I can't tell you yet."

"What? Why?" Pearl asked, her voice a little louder than she intended.

"Hush Pearl, Steven's sleeping... Ha! Like he'll wake up. He's a heavy sleeper..." She teased.

Pearl just groaned in frustration.

"Oh, don't be so upset...I'll be going now, okay. Smell ya later." Amethyst said as she walked towards the temple entrance and entered her room.

Pearl followed her movements with her eyes. Amethyst definitely knows a lot more than she claims to but she's right Steven and Garnet are planning something. She doesn't know what's going on but she swears she'll find out.

* * *

 _Okay, 13th chapter is done. I hope you guys like it even though it's much shorter than the previous two chapters._


	14. Chapter 14

After the events of the previous week Steven, Pearl and Greg decided to stay at home, relax and watch some movies. Steven selected a few movies that they can watch. He piled them up on top of the coffee table. All of them were romantic movies. He placed a couple of throw pillows on the couch and placed some snacks on the table next to the stack of DVDs. These include pretzels, popcorn, doritos, cheeto puffs and blue cherry gatorade as beverages.

"Perfect!" He exclaimed after surveying his work. The setup was just the way he wanted it to be. His mission was going well- really well.

"I see that you have everything ready." Pearl said upon seeing the arrangement.

"This is gonna be a great night. i just know it." He replied excitedly.

"You seem very eager about all of this." She stated.

Of course. I-"

He was cut off by the towards the door, hoping that it was his father.

"Dad!" He exclaimed upon seeing Greg.

"You look excited. Ready for movie night?" He asked.

"Yeah, I have everything all setup." He told his father as he led him near the TV.

Steven sat on the very end of the couch to make sure that Pearl and Greg sat next to each other. He signaled the two of them to take their seat and look at the selection of movies he has prepared. Greg sat next to his son and Pearl sat next to him. The two of them looked through the stack of DVDs Steven had prepared. They looked at each other awkwardly upon realizing that they were all romantic films.

"Steven, are you sure you want to watch these?" Pearl asked.

"I never thought you would be into romance, son." Greg commented.

"I am a lover of a multitude of genres and I feel like watching romance tonight! So, what do you guys want to watch?" He asked with a big smile on his face.

"Uhh, I think the two of you should choose. As long as Steven likes it. I'll gladly watch it." Pearl commented.

"Yeah, why don't you choose for us." Greg said.

Steven looked through the pile, he selected a movie and handed it to his father. "Alright, how about this one, Love High. It is a story about a jock and a scholar who didn't get along but after being forced to pretend to be a couple they start to develop feelings for each other but they come from different social classes and their families do not approve of their romance."

"Erm, maybe not this one..." Greg said as he placed it back in the pile.

"I know you will like this one- A Second Chance. Its a love story between a single father and the best friend of his late wife."

"Uh, are you sure you want to watch that? I-I think we might have watch this before. It sounds familiar..." Pearl said.

"You don't like this one too, huh?" Steven said sadly.

"I found this in a video store. I thought you might like it." Greg said upon taking out a DVD and handing it to his son.

"Cookie Cat the Movie! This exists?" He exclaimed happily upon looking at the box cover.

"Apparently, do you want to watch it?" His father asked.

He nodded his head, obviously excited about the film. After remembering his mission though he started having second thoughts about it. I'm not sure..." He lied.

"Its a multi- genre film with action, adventure and romance." Greg said in an attempt to convince him to watch the movie.

"It does look interesting and you seem quite excited to watch it." Pearl commented.

"No, I'm not." Steven lied.

"It's alright, Steven. Pearl and I are both cool with watching it." Greg commented.

After thinking that the two of them could possibly bond over the movie and knowing that he really does want to watch it he finally agreed."Okay!" He exclaimed gleefully.

They placed the DVD into the player and watched the movie. It turned out to be one of those cheap bootleg copies; the picture quality was bad, the animation looked so unnatural, the plot was forced and the overall story was so cliche. None of them, not even - enjoyed the film. When the credits were rolling they all looked at each other in disappointment.

"Uhh, d-did you guys enjoy it..." Steven asked reluctantly, knowing that they most likely didn't.

"It was very... interesting..." Pearl said.

"Yeah, the animation was-excellent. The movements look so natural and fluid..." Greg said.

"Right, and the romance was not forced at all..." Pearl commented.

"Alright! You guys choose the next movie. I'm just going to go to the bathroom." Steven said as he walked away from them. He didn't really need to go to the bathroom but he wanted to give them some privacy in hopes that they'll realize they're perfect for each other or at least in Steven's mind they are.

"Do you think he's trying to pair us up again?" Pearl asked.

"What gave it away? The romantic movies?" Greg asked jokingly.

"Pretty much..."

"His attempts are cute though..." He commented.

"Very cute!" She added.

"So do you want to watch any of these movies?"

"I'll pass... Unless, you and Steven want to." She replied.

"You know, I'd rather just hang out here with the two of you. Just talk and stuff..." He commented.

"Alright then, what do you want to talk about?"She asked.

"Uhh, what do you think of that movie?" He asked

"What kind of question is that, Greg? We both know it's terrible." She replied somewhat annoyed.

"Yeah, but the concept could have worked. Cookie cat is an alien that came from space. They could have really made a good story out of it."

"Maybe... Speaking of space, have you every tried using it as a subject to your artworks?"

"Of course, it's been a while since I've painted it though. I-I might not be able to do it." He admitted.

"I think you'll be able to render it properly. You're a pretty good artist." She said with a smile.

"And an excellent musician?" He asked jokingly.

She giggled. "I hate to admit it but I was impressed by your ability to compose songs on the spot."

"Aww yeah! I still got it!" He exclaimed.

"Got what?" She asked in confusion.

"Uhh, nothing..." He replied with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Do you know what Steven called me after our date?" She asked.

"What?"

"Mommy. He called me mommy."

Greg turned a much brighter shade of red upon hearing what Steven had called her. His son really seems to want him to date Pearl. Maybe to the extent that he wants her to be his stepmother. "R-really? T-that's really cute. I-it seems l-like-like-"

"H-he wants us to be t-together?" Pearl asked.

"Seems so..."

"Well, uhh, not that i-it's p-possible right?" Pearl asked awkwardly, her cheeks starting to get a tinge of blue.

"Yes, it's possible- uh I mean it no- its not possible..." He stuttered.

"You're turning red... Are you alright?" She asked in concern.

"Uh-yeah... D-don't worry I-I'm fine." He said.

She placed her hand on his forehead to take his temperature. His face turned redder and the heat rose to his cheeks upon feeling her touch.

"Hmm. You're temperature seems normal... but just in case..." She took out a thermometer from her gem and attempted to get it into his mouth.

"Ahh Pearl, no don't touch me!" He exclaimed right before she jammed the device into his mouth, silencing him.

"Really, I'm just trying to help. Why are you acting so strange?" She commented a bit frustrated by his strange behavior.

They were both quiet for a few moments. She looked at him with a mixture of concern and annoyance. There was just something about him that makes her feel funny- that frustrated and made her happy at the same time.

He looked back at her in awe. Is it just him or is she looking more beautiful than usual. He can feel his heart beat faster. She was sitting extremely close to him.

She took out the thermometer and examined his temperature. "I was right, you don't have a fever." She stated upon seeing the reading on the device.

"W-why are you so concerned about me?" He asked,

"Why wouldn't I be?" She said in reply as she unconsciously placed her hand on top of his.

Her cheeks turned to a darker shade of blue upon realizing what she had done. She remove her hand though neither did he stir. She looked at him, he was redder than before. 'He's probably just embarrassed by the whole situation.' She thought.

He was redder than ever before and his heart was beating extremely fast now. He was glad that she didn't move her hand away, nor does he intend to move his. Its been years since he felt this way towards anyone. He doesn't want this moment to end, he doesn't want to be away from her and after realizing all of this he came to the conclusion that he had actually fallen in love with her already.

He was embarrassed and felt somewhat guilty after coming to realize this. He panickingly withdrew his hand and commented."Uh...Steven's really taking a long time…"

"I don't think he really needs to go." Pearl stated.

"Gotta love his persistence…" He commented, knowing that they both know that Steven is still trying to pair them up.

Steven suddenly walked back in the room "Hey guys, sorry it took so long. Have you picked a movie yet?" He asked.

"We decided not to watch anymore movies for tonight, if that's okay with you?" Pearl replied.

"Of course. So what have the two of you been doing without me?" He asked with a huge smile on his face.

"We were just talking." Greg said in reply.

"Oh, so what do you guys want to do next?" Steven asked.

"Uhh, I-I need to go… I need to hit the hay early." Greg said.

"So you are sick." Pearl commented.

"D-don't worry about me though. I-I probably just need some rest."

"Are you sure you're okay, dad? You can always sleep here." Steven asked with concern.

"No! I-I mean I-I just need some time to myself t-to get some sleep…" He lied. He just needed some time alone to reflect on his new-found feelings.

Steven and Pearl led him to the door. He assured them that he'll be fine before heading back into the van. They followed him with their eyes. Once they were sure that he was safely back in his vehicle, they shut the door and started cleaning up.

"Pearl, what do you think of dad?" Steven asked.

"Well, he's a good man. Caring father, a good friend…" She said in reply as she resealed each food container.

"That's it?" He asked somewhat disappointing by her reply.

"What else is there to say? Umm, he's a talented musician, a great artist. He has the potential to be an excellent sword-fighter… He's pretty great…" She admitted, her cheeks turning to a light shade of blue.

Upon hearing her comments and seeing her blush, he knew that he had paired the right people. Garnet already informed him that his father and Pearl had the potential to be an actual couple and he's gonna see to it that they'll end up together.

* * *

Greg laid on his makeshift bed, staring at the van's ceiling. He knows that he will never be able to treat her the same way again. He will never see her as just a friend and that might make things difficult for the both of them. Maybe even for Steven. He doesn't want that. He doesn't want the awkwardness nor does he want to act strange in front of her. He couldn't deny his feelings any longer though and regardless of whether he tells her or not she's going to find out eventually.

He looked at the portrait of Rose, he keeps under his pillow. He feels so guilty. He has moved on but he never thought he could love another, especially not one of his late wife's closest friends. However, he knows that he couldn't keep dwelling in the past nor can he keep his feelings a secret. He placed the picture inside his cabinet, he was confident that he doesn't need it for tonight. It was the first night that he slept without it since she left but he was able to sleep soundly.

Before he does anything drastic though he knows he needs to ask permission from two people. Two people that are very close to him.

* * *

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter, guys. Did anyone notice the Homeworld gem's cameo?_


	15. Chapter 15

_Okay, time to put in something this story seriously lacks- Greg and Steven's father and son moments. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. :D_

* * *

Steven walked towards his father's car wash with Lion following a few steps behind him. From the distance he was already able to male out his figure, sitting on the edge of the van. He was staring at the ground, he appears to be in deep thought. He moved towards him with caution, whatever his father was thinking, it was not to be taken lightly.

Greg looked up upon noticing his son. He immediately tried to perk up. "Hi Steven, I see you're with Lion. What are you two doing here?" He asked.

"We just want to hang out with the best dad ever. So, what have you been up to?" He asked as he sat next to him.

"Not much, just thinking... Business have been slow..." He replied with a forced smile.

He looked around the place and sure enough, there weren't any customers. "I see... What have you been thinking?" He asked with a bit of concern.

He looked away from him and blushed slightly, a bit embarrassed by his thoughts. "Just some things... Hey son, can I ask your opinion on something?" He asked.

"Sure dad, what is it?" Steven replied, ready to listen to whatever his father has to say.

"W-what do you feel about me dating or at the very least courting someone?" He asked shyly.

Steven's worry disappeared upon hearing those words. He never told his father directly but he has wanted him to be with someone for quite sometime now. "I think that'll be great!" He replied excitedly.

"Really?" His father asked, looking a lot happier than before.

"Yeah, then the two of you will get married. I'll have a mom and maybe even siblings..." Steven fantasized excitedly.

"Whoa son, slow down. S-she doesn't even know I have feelings for her yet." Greg replied awkwardly, a slight blush slowly forming on his cheeks.

Steven briefly pondered and realized that his father has been talking about none other than Pearl. This made him way happier but he decided to hide this from his father for a while. Maybe he might even mess with him a little bit just to lighten the mood. "Who are we talking about anyway?" He asked, despite having a clear idea on who it was already.

"Oh you know, just someone... I-I think you have a pretty good idea on who she is." Greg admitted.

"Oh, I see... Have anymore questions for me, dad?" Steven asked.

"Uhhh, What do you think of her?" Greg asked, his cheeks way redder than before.

"Well, she's strong, dependable, awesome and one of the best fusions ever!" Steven said, trying to sound serious about what he was saying.

"Wait, what?" Greg asked, a bit shocked by his answer.

"Aren't we talking about Garnet?" Steven asked, still pretending to be serious about the whole thing.

"No, I'm talking about Pearl!" He corrected.

"I know, dad. I was just joking." He admitted gleefully.

Greg laughed a little. "Oh okay. You got me. But seriously, what do you think of her?" He asked.

"She's great; she's organized, caring, motherly and she's perfect for you!" Steven announced happily.

"I'm glad you think so, Steven. You don't think I'm cheating on your mother. I-its making me feel a bit guilty to be honest." He admitted sadly.

Steven patted his father on the back understandingly. "Dad, mom's not here anymore... I-i know that she's well aware that you love her and she would want us to be happy- she wants you to be happy. I know that she'll be alright with all of this." He told him.

"You think so?" Greg asked, looking a lot happier than before.

"I'm sure." Steven confirmed with a slight smile.

"Thanks Steven, that makes me feel a lot better…" Greg said, despite still feeling a bit guilty about his feelings for Pearl.

Lion walked closer to the two of them then he lowered his body enough so that a person could easily get on the back. Greg noticed this and asked. "Uhh, what is Lion doing?"

"I think he wants us to ride on his back. I think I have a good idea on where he's taking us." Steven answered.

* * *

Lion took them to Rose's armory. Steven and Greg got down from the creature's back. Lion stayed outside as Steven led his father inside the armory.

"This is a great idea, Lion! No wonder you wanted to come with me!" He yelled out to his pet as he led his father inside.

"Wow! What is this place?" Greg asked upon looking around the area.

"This is mom's armory. A lot of her stuff are stored in here. You know, when I go here I sometimes feel that she's with me. You know more than usual..." Steven answered, contemplating what it would have been like to meet his mother.

"Yeah, I can understand why you would feel that way..." Greg replied.

Steven sat down on the floor in the middle of the room. He signaled his father to sit next him. Greg sat down next to his son. They were both silent for a short while.

"Maybe you'll feel better if you ask her about it directly. Can't hurt to try right?" Steven suggested, breaking the silence.

"Ask her directly? Steven, I don't think that's possible." Greg replied.

"We can always pretend. You know dad, now that I've thought about it this might be better if its done in mom's room." He said.

"You're right, Steven, we can and don't worry about it. This place will do fine." He reassured him right before heaving a deep sigh.

"Rose, I'm not sure if you can hear me but if you can I have something important I have to tell you..." Greg said nervously as he stared out into the space.

"You know that I really love you. In fact, when you l-left I-i never thought that I can ever love anyone ever again. You were the best- a good friend, a wonderful wife and I'm sure you would have been an excellent mother to Steven. Know that, nothing can ever change my feelings for you but-. I-i'm really sorry about this b-but I have fallen... I-I've fallen in love w-with P-Pearl... I-i'm really sorry, Rose... I really feel guilty about this but like I said I will always love you but I guess I have moved on..." He stopped speaking and stared at the floor for a couple of moments but eventually he looked back to his son with a slight smile on his face. He ran his fingers though his hair, thankful for the closure he had given to him.

"Are you feeling better dad?" Steven asked.

"Yes son, I-I think so..." He replied as he got up from the floor.

Lion walked inside and positioned himself near them.

"And thanks for you're help Lion." Greg said as he petted the creature on it's mane.

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to confess to her?" He asked after getting up from the floor himself.

"Yes but I-i'm not really sure how to tell her. Should I just casually say it. Should I ask her out on another date?"

"Hmmm, I got it!" Steven exclaimed upon thinking of a good way for his father to impress Pearl. He instructed his father to lean down then he whispered his plan to him.

"That's an excellent idea! Thanks, son." He said in reply.

"When are you gonna do it?"

"I need a lot of time to prepare. I need to make this perfect." Greg replied with a huge smile on his face.

* * *

 _This chapter is kind of short but I do hope that you guys still like it._


	16. Chapter 16

_Sorry for the late update. :) Enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

Pearl has just came back home. She had been reading books at the library with Greg. Steven did not join them because he was spending time with Connie. She had a huge smile on her face and a slight blush when she went through the door. Amethyst noticed this and she immediately walked towards Pearl.

"Hey P! You look happier than usual." Amethyst teased.

"W-what are you talking about?" Pearl stuttered, her cheeks turning to a darker shade of blue.

"I take it that your date went well? Aren't you two just cute together." Amethyst said while patting her on the back.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Greg and I are just good friends. Of course we'll spend time together t-that's what friends do." She said defensively as she moved away from Amethyst.

"Relax Pearl, I was just messing with you... You really need to be less uptight you know." She commented.

"Whatever..." She sighed in reply as she turned away from Amethyst and started sweeping the floor to distract herself from the conversation.

"It's just that you look unusually happy when you're with him." She commented.

Pearl was uncomfortable with the topic but it intrigued her and her curiosity got the best of her "I do?" She asked.

"Yeah, so are you?" Amethyst asked.

She stopped cleaning, unable to answer the question. It's true that she's happy whenever she spends time with him but she didn't know other noticed and she didn't know why she couldn't seem to control her positive emotions around him. It was all so confusing to her.

"I-I guess so but I don't know why. I-I honestly have no idea what's going on..." She admitted sheepishly.

"You'll figure it you're smart." She replied sincerely.

"I hope so... Thanks Amethyst." She commented right before continuing with her cleaning once again.

She stopped again though upon noticing her strange behavior as well. It wasn't just Amethyst though, recently even Steven and Garnet seem to act strange around her. She couldn't pin point on what made it strange but they were definitely acting unusual. It's obvious that there's something going on; they know about it but she doesn't and this nagged at her to no end.

"Wait, you're being unusually nice to me." She commented.

"So?" Amethyst replied defensively.

"Why? Are you up to something." She asked upon moving closer to her.

"None, I don't have anything to hide." She said more confidently than before.

Pearl looked straight into her eyes, trying to find any sort of evidence in her facial expression that would tell her that she's lying. She couldn't find any.

"Can you please stop that. It's getting kinda creepy..." Amethyst said as she moved a couple of steps back.

Pearl looked away from her, disappointed that she's as clueless as before. "Now I'm really confused..." She said upon dropping the broom at the corner of the room.

"I'll continue this later. I-I need some time to think." Pearl said as she went inside her room without even giving Amethyst a side glance.

"Don't worry Pearl. You'll know soon enough." Amethyst said just as the door to her room closed.

A few minutes later Garnet entered the room. She looked straight at Amethyst.

"Should we talk to her?" She asked.

"No, I think it's best if we give her some time to think about all of this." Garnet replied.

* * *

Pearl went to her room without looking back to her friends. She lied down on the surface of one of the fountains. She stared at the ceiling. Contemplating about her confusions and the situation she found herself in.

He was still on her mind: his welcoming smile, his comforting hands, his understanding nature. She liked all of these about him. For a human, he's pretty wonderful. She knows she likes him, she knows he's a good friend but he's been making her feel strange. She always seem to want to be close to him, he rarely left her thoughts and the mere sound of his voice makes her blush.

Every sign points to the fact that she's in love with him. In her mind though the idea was preposterous. It was impossible for her to fall for a human. She inwardly scolded at herself for ever having entertained such a horrendous thought. However, it made a lot of sense though. In fact it made too much sense. Either way, falling in love with him would be wrong.

He was Rose's and only Rose's. How dare she even thought of the possibility of falling in love with him. To her, doing so would be betraying the trust and friendship her former leader had given to her. She must not do that- she cannot do that-not to her friend, not to the first person who actually made her feel good about herself.

Besides, she knows that it will never work out. They were extremely different, as a couple the two of them would never get along. He'd never fall in love with her or even entertain the possibility of being with her. He only likes her as a friend and it will stay that way weather she likes it or not.

She was overcome with a sudden sense of dread upon realizing this. Why was she hurt by the fact that he'll never like her, that they'll never be together? She was in love, she cannot deny it anymore but she wished she wasn't. Other than her belief that she'll surely get hurt by this, she was also betraying Rose Quartz. She felt as though she was trying to steal her husband; no present or not he was Rose's and she's unintentionally trying to take him- not that she can actually do so.

"What now?" She asked herself with a deep sigh. Knowing that the others must have noticed. Maybe that's why they've been acting strange. Maybe they're all ashamed and disappointed of her. Steven must have probably realized that she was not a good match for his father and regretted ever trying to set them up. He might even hate her for it. She hopes that this isn't the case though.

She's in love with Greg. She can't wait to see him smile again. She anticipates every moment he touches her hand and she couldn't wait to hear him sing to her again. Despite this, she knows that he sees her as a friend and only as a friend. He needs her to be a friend so she'll be a friend. Even if it's tugging at her heartstrings, she needs to keep her feelings. Besides, human lives are short, keeping her feelings in check would cause her less pain- it will be less painful for everyone involve.

A voice calls her out if her trance. It sounded like Garnet. She went inside a few moments after she called. "I'm sorry to disturb you Pearl, but Greg is here to see you." She said.

She left her room in a hurry, eager to see him despite all her realizations. He smiled upon seeing her. She kept her distance, worrying that he might notice that there's something off about her.

"You checked out this book from the library remember? You left it in the van." He said as he handed it to her.

"Oh, thank you." She said as she carefully and awkwardly took the book from him.

"Is some wrong." He asked upon noticing her weird behavior.

"Oh, it's nothing. I can handle it. Don't worry about meee!" She exclaimed as she suddenly slips on the wet floor. Luckily, she was able to cling onto a nearby chair before she hit the ground.

"Sorry Pearl, I didn't exactly mop up the juice I spilled." Amethyst said.

She scowled at her in reply.

"Are you okay?" He asked concerned.

"Ah yes, its quite alright. I didn't actually fall down haha..." She replied in an awkward and nervous manner. She gave him a forced smile to try and convince him that she's fine and that nothing is wrong.

"Okay, if you say so. Are we up for next week?" He asked.

"Ah well, I think we have a mission for that time. Right Garnet?" She said.

"Actually, we're free at that time." Garnet said.

"Excellent. I'll see you next week. I'm sorry I couldn't stay long. Steven wanted me to fetch him from Connie's. We're going out for pizza!" He said right before leaving.

"Smooth, Pearl. Real smooth..." Amethyst teased.

* * *

 _I hope you guys liked this chapter. Not so fun fact, the scene with the juice was loosely based on real life._

 _Okay, now on to more serious matters. I know I skipped a weekend in updating this story and that might happen again for the next chapter. I'll just give you guys something to look forward to: I don't usually put titles on my chapters but if I were to give on the next it will be "Confessions"_


	17. Chapter 17

_Alright. This one's my favorite chapter so far because of reasons and I hope you guys will like it too._

* * *

Steven ran towards the temple in excitement. Everything was all set. His father had been working hard for this day all week and he hopes that all of that will be worth it. He did all that he can to match up his dad and his hopefully future stepmother. He entered the building smiling in excitement. He scanned the room, making sure that Pearl was there. Upon spotting her, he immediately rushed to her side.

"Pearl, do you have a good outfit?" He asked, his excitement was evident in his face and tone of voice.

"I-i can easily obtain one but why?" She asked, a bit surprised by his sudden request.

"Its a surprise, just change into something. Something pretty and maybe sparkly." He stated.

"What's going on, Steven?"

"Just change, please. It's suppose to be a surprise."

"Alright. Just give me a minute to think of something."

A part of her knew that this will be another date with Greg and despite all of her doubts and reservations with regards to how a relationship with him will work out she was excited to meet up with him for another date. Maybe just for a little while she can forget about her loneliness. However, the feeling of guilt and betrayal towards Rose never seem to go away, no matter what she does.

She thought of wearing a light blue layered strapless flowy cocktail dress. The outer layer was made of a translucent sparkly material and the inner layer was made up of light blue satin. It was similar but slightly more elaborate than the dress she wore to the theater. She styled her hair differently as well. Her short hair was down, it was slightly curled at the ends and she wore a gold and silver clip.

Steven surveyed her outfit. He smiled widely upon examining her work. "Wow, that's perfect! Absolutely perfect!" He exclaimed.

"Thanks, but what is this for?" She asked.

"Oh, you'll find out soon..." He said as he lead her to the outskirts of town.

Pearl saw that an elaborate setup has been made. There were arches decorated with flowers, pastel colored balloons and flower petals scattered on the grass. In the middle of the entire setup was a small round table, with two seats. It has a white satin tablecloth. A centerpiece was placed in the middle of the table, it lighted lantern with a crown of flowers surrounding it. There were no plates, glasses and utensils. He stood under one of the arches. He was dressed in formal wear and his hair was neatly combed and tied. His back was turned to them and he seemed to be eyeing the setup very carefully. She was still processing the entire thing when Steven gave her a gentle push forward. She looked back at him in confusion but he merely smiled at pointed towards his father. She reluctantly walked towards him.

"Uh hi!" She said a bit awkwardly.

"Hello, you look great." He commented.

"Thanks, you don't think its too much."

"Of course not, you're very beautiful." He replied honestly as he walked closer to her.

"So, w-what's all this?" She asked, trying to confirm her suspicions.

"I-i think this is our second date." He answered as he offered his hand to her.

She reluctantly took it with a slight blush on her face. He

"Oh, so Steven made you do all of this." She said.

"Uh yeah..." He lied.

"Where is he anyway? He was next to us a second ago." She asked as she briefly scanned the area for any signs of the boy.

"He's probably here somewhere." He said, even though he knew that he most likely left and went back to the house.

"Yes, spying on us most likely..." She said.

"Don't let that get to you. Can't let all of this go to waste now. C'mon, let's have some fun." He said as he reached out her hand to her.

She blushed slightly right before reluctantly placing her hand on top of his. He clasped her hand tight and led her to the decorated table. He held out her seat for her right before sitting down across the table from her.

"Steven really thought of this one. This place looks great." She complemented the arrangement.

"Uh, yeah. By the way, why do you think he's trying to set us up?" He asked as his cheeks turned red.

"I guess he thinks we're compatible..." She answered, also blushing.

"Yeah... So uh, do you think umm..." He asked awkwardly.

"Do I think what?" She asked, confused by what he wants to know from her.

"Do you think it's possible- the two of us as..." He continued.

"The two of us as what exactly?" She asked, still as confused as before.

"You know..."

"Oh! Well, I never put much thought into that to be honest... Why'd you ask? Do you we could actually..." She asked, her cheeks, now a much darker shade of blue.

"Uhh, you see-" he was cut off by music playing somewhere in the area.

Inwardly Greg thank Steven for staying and looking after their date. This was not part of the plan but he knows that dancing can help in bringing in the mood and it can probably help him in getting away from the awkward conversation. He stood up and moved towards to her seat.

"Can I have this dance?" He said as he offered his hand to her.

"Alright." She said reluctantly, her blush turning to a much darker shade.

He led her to a much roomier part of the setup. He put his hands on her waist and she placed her hands on his shoulders. They slowly moved to the music. They looked into each other's eyes and neither one of them spoke for a while. Neither of them were uncomfortable with the silence. In fact, they only savored each other's presence. Unconsciously, he slowly wrapped his hands around her waist, making her move a bit closer to him. Both of them were surprised by their sudden closeness. They both broke eye contact and the atmosphere became awkward. However, neither of them moved away.

"You're a really good dancer." He said to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Thank you, you're pretty light on your feet as well." She said in reply.

"Thanks. I hope you're having fun." He stated.

"I am..." She said as she unconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck. They looked into each other's eyes once again. Both of them have grown comfortable with their closeness. Unknowingly, their faces started to inch closer to each other until their noses were almost touching. Suddenly both of them realized this and broke eye contact again. They simultaneously stopped dancing and loosened their hold on each other.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry..." Pearl stuttered.

"Umm, y-yeah... m-me too..." Greg replied awkwardly.

"Listen... Pearl, I need to tell you something. I-It's very important..." He said, trying to avoid eye contact with you.

"You're face is extremely red..." She commented.

"Uhh, that'll have an explanation soon enough... J-just wait here please..." He said as he rushed back towards the table. He reached down and revealed a guitar hidden underneath the cloth covering. He started playing a slow and relaxing melody while walking closer to her. Pearl smiled at him, flattered by his gesture.

 _Oh love,_

 _Look out and see the beautiful night_

 _All the stars are out shining so bright_

 _I want to share with you this wonderful sight_

He stopped walking directly in front of her. He looked at her with sincerity and love as he continued to his song.

 _Oh love,_

 _When I look at you I know_

 _That my feelings can only grow_

 _And as your blue eyes shine_

 _I know I want to make you mine_

She can be dense at times but she knew that the song was a love confession. She felt happier knowing that he felt the same about her. She had never been so happy to be wrong about something in her entire life.

 _Oh love,_

 _Its been a while since I've felt this way_

 _I pray that with me you'll stay_

 _You know I've always looked up to you_

 _But I'd never thought I'd actually fall for you_

However, after a few more lines. She suddenly felt guilty.

 _So love,_

 _Now that I have given my heart to you_

 _I hope that you'll feel the same way too_

 _Give me this chance be_

 _The one that can make you happy_

 _Oh, I've always looked up to you_

 _But I never thought I'd actually fall for you_

 _Oh, I never thought I-_

 _I never thought..._

 _Oh, i'd actually fallen for you..._

"So you know the truth now. I love you. I-i didn't mean to but-" She cut him off.

"Greg, please. I understand. I-i don't really know how to respond to this though. I-i don't even know if this is right!" She said as tears started to well up in her eyes.

"W-what do y-you mean?" He asked, confused by her reply.

"What do I mean? Think about your dead wife, Greg. Maybe then you'll know what I mean!" She exclaimed right before running away from him. Tears were now streaming down his face.

"Wait! Pearl. Please let's talk about this!" He called after her.

"Please! I-I'm sorry..." He said as tears started to threaten to fall from his eyes.

Pearl rushed back towards the house without looking back.

She hated him for being so nice. She hated him for being so friendly. She hated him for being so loving and kind. She hated him for loving her and making her fall for him. She hated herself for agreeing to be friends with him in the first place. She hated herself for giving him a chance. She hated herself for falling for him and betraying Rose's trust. Lastly, she hated herself for continuing to love him despite the consequences.

He loves her, he really does. All her doubts about his feelings towards her went away. Everything should be fine right? She should just tell him the truth so that they can be together and be happy. Its not that easy though, the very idea of having a relationship with him is a betrayal to Rose. She cannot do that to her but at the same time she doesn't want to hide her feelings for Greg.

She was broken out of her trance by a knock at the door.

"Pearl, can I come inside. Let's talk about this..." Greg said.

"Please, I-i didn't mean to scare you off. I just-" He cut himself off. He was extremely apologetic based on the tone of his voice.

"P-please. J-j-just give m-me some time..." She stuttered.

"Okay, I'll be going now. I'm sorry if I came too strong..." He said apologetically as he slowly walked away from the door.

She doesn't want to hide it any longer. Especially since she now knows that he feels the same. Then again, he's only human and she's a -. Its true that they can probably make it work and they might even be really happy as a couple but will never work out. He's not going to stay in this world for long and she'll be alone once again. Just like how Rose left all of them. Can she even handle the pain of loss for a second time?

She heaved a deep sigh and silently sang as she wept.

 _Oh love,_

 _You know that you've always made me smile_

 _But I know we'll be only happy for a while..._

 _So I guess I have to continue this lie_

 _I welcomed the thought of being friends too_

 _But I'd never thought I'd actually fall for you_

 _Oh, I'd actually fallen for you..._

 _But I have to continue this-_

 _I must continue this._

 _Lie_

* * *

 _Well, that's all for this chapter. I hope you guys like it. This one was pretty hard to write to be honest and it took me a long time to write this as well. I enjoyed writing it though._


	18. Chapter 18

_Sorry for another long wait. I had to redo this entire chapter because I wasn't satisfied with the first draft -_- Anyway, here's to hoping I made a right decision._

* * *

Steven shuffled in his bed uncomfortably. He saw everything. Things were going so well; he held her so lovingly in his arms when they danced and her eyes seem to sparkle when she first saw him that night. He was sure they would end up together but they didn't. They seemed so perfect for each other but maybe he was wrong. Was he responsible for the pain and heartache felt by two of the people he cares about?

Unable to sleep he got out of bed, walked out of the door and strolled towards the shore. He stared out into the ocean, feeling the salty sea air hit his face- it felt calming. Despite the calm atmosphere, he felt restless. He tried to set them up and maybe they both fell in love, maybe the feeling is mutual but nevertheless, the entire thing ended in heartbreak and a broken friendship.

He then noticed a familiar figure sitting a few meters away from him. She's looking out at the sky forlornly and it seems she hasn't noticed him yet. He sat next her and upon seeing her up close, he knew she was upset. "Pearl…" he whispered.

She turned her head towards him, surprised by his presence. Despite the darkness, he can still see the traces of dried tears on her cheeks. "Oh Steven, it's late you should be sleeping…" She said with a forced smile.

"I couldn't…" He replied.

"Well, you must try. Humans need their sleep and you're no exception. Come, I'll tuck you in if you want." She said right before getting up.

Steven grab a hold of her hand and pulled her down gently. "Pearl, I'm so sorry…" He said as he tried to hold in his sobs.

She looked at him with concern and confusion. Her night had been emotionally draining but Steven needed her, she needs to comfort him despite her own needs. "What ever for?" She asked.

"I-I ruined everything… Y-a-and d-dad..." He said as he tried to hold in his sobs.

She sighed and knelt down to his level. "Look Steven, you have nothing to be sorry about... What happened earlier, that's Greg's fault... it's mine too... But not yours... Definitely not your fault..." She said as she pulled him into a hug. He continued to sob, soaking her shirt in salty tears.

"B-but I tried to set the two o-of you up a-and-and..."

"Shhh, it's fine. It's not your fault... Sometimes, these things just don't work out... Even if we wanted them to, we can't make it work..." She said comfortingly. In a way her own words calmed her down as well. She cannot be with Greg, ever. She needs to honor Rose Quartz. Despite her feelings and despite her desires, she needs to stay away from Greg. It was all for Rose, it's the least she can do after everything their former leader has done.

Steven pulled away slightly and looked up to her. "Why? If we try hard enough-" he was cut off.

"It's not really that easy. There are restrictions…" She said a bit disheartened.

They both sat there in silence for a short while. He couldn't understand it all. She seems to love his father but he wasn't sure and what does she even mean by restrictions? If two people love each other, shouldn't they be together. Nothing was restricting them. he was supportive of their relationship and so is Garnet and Amethyst. Maybe he was wrong, maybe she doesn't love him- maybe her feelings are the restrictions.

"Pearl, can I ask you a question?" Steven asked warily.

"What is it, Steven?"

"Do you love my dad?" He asked.

She paused, unsure of how she should respond to the question. She was sure about her feelings however, and after much contemplation she decided that he had to know the truth. Especially if it can give him some sort of consolation. "Yes, Steven and I'm sure of it. I know what I feel, I just don't know what I should do about it nor do I know if it's right to feel this way..." She said with sadness in her eyes.

"Because there are restrictions?" He asked.

"Exactly…"

* * *

Greg was opening up his car wash when his son stopped by to see him. "Hey Steven! Here to help your old man?" He greeted with a smile.

"Actually dad, I wanted to talk to you about something. Something important."

"Alright then. What is it?" He said as he sat down on a stool and signaled his son to sit next to him.

"Its about Pearl." He replied as he sat down next to his father.

"Oh, why do you want to talk about her?" He said, looking a bit upset upon hearing her name.

"How are things between the two of you?" He asked reluctantly.

"To tell you the truth, son, not very good… It's been days since the incident and we hadn't had a decent conversation. It seems like she feels awkward being with me and I-I just don't know how to approach her." He sighed.

"Uh, I'm sure the two of you will sort this whole thing out with time." Steven replied, even though he himself was unsure that things will get better.

"I hope so… I shouldn't let that get to me though."

"Why, dad?" He asked.

"Well, things will not always go the way you want them to, Steven. That's life." He replied.

"She said the exact same thing." Steven sighed.

"Who did, son?" Greg asked.

"Pearl did."

"She's right, you know…" Greg said with a slight smile.

"Yeah, I still wish the two of you made it work though…" Steven sighed sadly.

They were both silent for a short while. Greg didn't know what to tell his son. The truth is, he wanted the two of them to end up together as well and even up to now. He still remains hopeful that she'll someday reciprocate his feelings. In their silence, they barely noticed when the rest of the Crystal Gems showed up. Garnet walked towards the two of them and looked at Steven with urgency. "I'm sorry Greg, we need to borrow Steven for a while." She said.

"Are we going on a mission?" Steven asked.

"Yeah we are. You're gonna have fun in this one. We're going to one of the old spaceships." Amethyst said.

"Awesome! Sorry dad, I need to go." He said glancing back at his father.

Greg didn't hear him. He was too busy looking at Pearl. She glanced back at him but immediately looked away upon noticing that he was looking at her. It was obvious that she still feels uncomfortable in his presence. Right now, he'll be lucky to just be friends with her again.

"Dad?" Steven said, breaking him away from his trance.

"Yes, you have a mission. Have fun and be careful." He said as he patted his son on the head.

"Are you okay?" Steven asked, out of concern for his father.

"Yeah, you should go. I'll come visit you later, okay?" He said with a forced smile.

"Alright then." He said, right before running towards the gems.

They went back to the house. On their way towards the place, Steven and Amethyst have been talking while Garnet watched them in amusement. Pearl kept quiet, Amethyst soon noticed this and asked her out of concern. "Are you okay, P? You seem unusually quiet." She said.

"I'm fine." She said, a little too forced.

The rest of the gems looked at her with concern. Steven then looked at Garnet with pleading eyes. She looked back at him and nodded slightly. She knows that things won't resolve themselves, they needed help- her help.

* * *

 _Well, that's that for that chapter._

 _Hope you guys had a Happy Halloween. I spend my Halloween in my mother's hometown. There's nothing better than inhaling the fresh country air as you do your assignments... Anyway, in honor of Halloween here's a one-word scary story for all of you: Thesis. Here's another one: Adulthood._


	19. Chapter 19

_I am extremely sorry for the late update. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter though_

* * *

Steven heard a knock on the door. "I'm coming!" He exclaimed as he rushed to answer it.

"Hey son, ready to go?" Greg said upon seeing his son.

The rest of the gems were at the house. They all looked towards the door the moment Steven answered it but upon seeing Greg, Pearl immediately turned her head away. She cannot face him and in her mind she must not face him. Seeing him somehow brings back all of the memories she had made with him the past few months and it reminded her why she fell in love with him in the first place.

"So, where are you two headin?" Amethyst asked.

"Just a short road trip. An old friend of mine wanted to borrow one of my amps. Any of you wanna come? There's still a lot of room in the van." He announced.

"We can all come." Garnet replied with a slight smile on her face.

"Yay! Road trip!" Steven exclaimed.

"Yeah, nothing better than being out in the road." Amethyst agreed.

Pearl, for the most part tried to ignore their conversation, all she cared about was that he's going away for a while and that might give her some time to think about what has happened a few days prior. Maybe not seeing him can get him off her mind and lessen her feelings for him. The moment Garnet announced that they will all come however, has gotten her attention fast. She cannot go with them. She mustn't go with them. For her, it would be wrong to love him and it would be wrong to spend time with him. "Garnet, I can't!" She exclaimed.

"Why?" Garnet asked.

"B-because we haven't caught Peridot and I-umm am making this machine that c-can help catch her." She stuttered, trying to get out of having to spend a couple of awkward hours in a car with Greg.

"There hasn't been a sign of her for a while now. I think taking a short vacation wouldn't really matter all that much" Garnet replied with a smirk.

"Yeah Pearl, a break wouldn't hurt." Amethyst added.

"No, seriously. We need to-" She was cut off.

"Aww, please Pearl. It's going to be fun." Steven said with a big smile on his face.

She heaved a big sigh. There are just times when she couldn't possibly say no to him. She crouched down to his level and whispered "Alright, alright. Let's just try not to make this weird. Can you promise me that, Steven? Will you behave?"

"I promise." Steven said while secretly crossing his fingers behind his back.

"Now if only we can get Lion to come." He said while looking at his pet. The creature merely glanced at him in response before yawning and falling back to sleep.

"I'm going to go and prepare the back seats. I have the van up front just go there when you're ready." Greg announced right before walking out of the house.

"I call not shotgun!" Steven announced.

"Not shotgun! I'm sitting next to Steven." Amethyst exclaimed.

"Not shot gun." Garnet said.

"You're riding shotgun, Pearl." Amethyst told her as she nudged her with her elbow.

"Shotgun? That sounds dangerous." She commented, looking a bit concerned.

"That just means you'll be sitting in front." Garnet told her with a smirk.

"What!?" She exclaimed, a bit shocked. The heat rushed to her cheeks upon hearing this. She would be seated on the front, that would mean she would have to seat next to-. She internally panicked. How can she even handle having to sit next to him? It will be too awkward and weird to do so. Would she be obligated to talk to him? Can she even be civil with him for that long? It doesn't matter though, she cannot just back out, she already told Steven that she would come. Maybe ignoring him would help.

"Oooh, you'll be next to Greg." Amethyst teased before rushing towards the van together with Steven.

She scowled at her in reply. She thought that they could have planned all of this and she fell for it. She looked towards Garnet questioningly, trying to find out if they really have planned it all along. The usual stoic gem had a mischievous smile on her face. It was obvious that she wanted her to know that it was all part of the plan, she wasn't trying to hide anything from her.

"Enjoy." Garnet said as she placed a hand on her shoulder before joining Steven and Amethyst. She reluctantly followed her and they all got in their seats.

Steven, Amethyst and Garnet tried to get them to have a decent conversation but both of them would give straight and short replies to them. They refused to engage in a conversation. They also tried to avoid eye contact. However, try as they might, they would occasionally glance at each other and would immediately look the other way. Needless to say, the entire two-hour was highly awkward and uncomfortable for them both.

* * *

"We're here! There are a few tourist traps in this town. You guys can check out a couple of them and we can meet up to have lunch at the pizza place across the street." Greg told them upon parking the van.

"Can I come with you, dad?" Steven asked.

"Sure, I would love you to meet my old buddy. Can you help me get the amp down?" He said upon getting out of his seat.

"Okay, dad." He said in reply.

As the two of them got the amplifier out of the van, the Crystal Gems got off the vehicle and tried to decide on where they're going.

"I know the two of you don't really eat but I wanna check out their food. You guys wouldn't mind if I go out on my own would you?" Amethyst asked.

"Sure, meet us an hour later at the pizza place. Pearl and I will do some sightseeing." Garnet said.

"Okay, I'll see you two later then." she waved goodbye before heading off.

The two of them walked towards a park nearby. For the most part, they were both quiet for the entire duration of their walk. Pearl knew Garnet would want to talk about her relationship with Greg. She had been dreading this conversation with her but a part of her wanted to talk about it. Maybe Garnet can help her get the much needed closure about this topic. Garnet on the other hand, foresaw this or at least it's one of the scenarios that she had seen. She had seen so many possibilities for the future. She wanted to help them achieve the happiest future possible but that would be up to Pearl and Greg, the least she could do is offer her friend the much needed advice.

"I take it you want to talk about Greg." Pearl said.

"Not really. Is that what you want?" Garnet asked, trying to look as stoic as possible.

"Uhh, well no. I just assume that-t-that given the circumstances... Y-you would want to talk about him." She said awkwardly.

"I think it's better if we were to talk about you first."

"Me?" Pearl asked.

"Yes, there's seem to be a lot on your mind lately." Garnet stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, yes. I've been thinking about Rose..." Pearl answered hesitantly.

"Rose?"

"Yes, I-I let her down. I have done a great wrong to her..."

"Because, you're in love with Greg?" Garnet asked.

The two of them stopped walking. Pearl has her head down-ashamed of her feelings, ashamed that she allowed herself to feel that way. she desperately tried to hold back the tears but she wasn't successful. Salty droplets fell down the pavement. Garnet could do nothing but watch. She knows that it's painful but it will be more painful if she holds it in. It will cause her more heartache if she doesn't get the closure that she needs.

"Y-yes. T-that's w-why..." She said in between sobs.

Garnet led her to a nearby bench. She continues to cry as Garnet patted her on the back comfortingly.

"I-I did not want this to happened. I-I couldn't h-help it... I- he- was just-. I-I'm r-really s-sorry. I betrayed Rose..." She said as she continued to cry.

"Pearl, Rose is... not around anymore. You need to make choices based on your own needs. You need to start living for yourself. Besides, if its any consolation to you, I think Rose would be fine with you and Greg."

"Wha-what makes you say that?"

"Rose always cared a lot about others. She would want the two of you to be happy. So, do you think being with Greg will make you happy?"

"Y-yes..."

"Yes in all forms or yes with reservations?" Garnet asked, sensing a bit of hesitance in her voice.

"Uhhh, yes with reservations." She replied.

"Why is that?"

"Well, humans t-they don't live very long. If I were to have a happy relationship with Greg. He will just leave me... I-I'm not sure if I can handle that..." She admitted.

"That's understandable. You're right, human lives are short, their time in this world are limited that's why they're so invested in it. That's why Greg took the chance. He knows what's coming that's why he's making the most of his time. Our time in this world may seem indefinite but we're still subjected to time, we're still limited to having to make quick decisions and taking chances. It's unavoidable."

"Garnet, are you saying I should be with him?"

"I'm saying, you need to be careful with your choices not just because you might get hurt in the end but because you might regret not having to take a chance. Sometimes pain is inevitable, Pearl."

"What should I do?" Pearl asked.

"Whatever you want, whatever makes you happy. That's what you should do." She said in reply.

"If that's the case. I know what has to be done." She told her.

"Good."

* * *

After having their lunch, the group did some sightseeing before getting back to the van. Steven, Garnet and Amethyst all sat at the back, forcing Pearl to sit at the front once again. Garnet smiled at Steven and Amethyst, she need not to say any words for them to know that Pearl is starting to get the necessary closure she needs. Steven mouthed a thank you to her upon sitting between the two gems.

The first few minutes of their trip back home was just as awkward as trip that morning. Greg and Pearl both kept quiet and they also tried to avoid eye contact. However, Pearl eventually decided to break the silence.

"So Greg, did things go well?" She asked shyly.

"Oh, yeah. We managed to catch up and talk about a few things." Greg replied, a bit surprised that she would speak to him.

"I see that's good." She replied awkwardly.

The two of them were silent for the rest of the trip. However, Greg was a bit relieved that she would talk to him again. Maybe this is a sign that they could be friend again and spend time together like they used to. Pearl on the other hand, was happy that she finally knew what to do. However, she was still scared of how he will react to her feelings, after ignoring him for the past few days, he could respond negatively. Nevertheless, she has decided- she would take the chance.

* * *

 _Okay, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Sorry again it took so long. I have some good news though, since I have a really long weekend. I might have the next chapter before the end of the week._

 _Thank you for reading and stay safe, everyone!_


	20. Chapter 20

It has been days since Pearl had last seen Steven. She had been busy with missions. Steven on the other hand had been staying in Connie's place. He would call them daily to let them know what they've been up to. Since it was the summer break, Connie's parents would regularly take them out to movies, go and various trips and many more. From these stories, she knew that he was getting more in tuned with his human self; this would be good for his social development. She was glad that he was having fun but she misses him. He was coming back home later that day and she was making sure that everything was spic and span for his return. She grabbed the broom and started cleaning up the floor. A few minutes after, she heard a knock on the door. She answered it.

"Oh, hi Pearl…" Greg said a bit awkwardly upon seeing her.

"Hi Greg, I-I thought you were Steven… I see you got him some fry bits." She replied.

"Yeah, he called me earlier. They're going to watch a movie before returning home." He answered.

"So, why are you here?" She asked with a confused expression on her face.

"Erm, I-I'll just come back later." He said a bit embarrassed. He won't admit it but a part of him just wanted to see her. He didn't think things through very well though. He was expecting the other gems to be there but they were no where to be seen.

"Wait, uh you can wait for him here if you like. I-I won't mind." She told him, her cheeks turning a light shade of blue.

Greg hesitated for a while. He could tell no one else was home and despite wanting to see her, spending some "quality time" with Pearl will surely be awkward for them both. He decided to stay though, maybe doing so will rekindle their old friendship. Besides, Steven would have liked for him to stay."Okay, thanks." he said as she led him in the house.

She followed closely after him. Once he was settled on the couch she picked up the broom and continued sweeping. The place was already relatively clean; the trash has been taken out, Steven's toys had been sorted and organized on the shelves, and there is barely a spec of dust on the table tops. The only thing left for her to do was finish sweeping.

Greg had been busy all morning with the carwash. Business was a lot better than usual. He closed early in order to head to the temple. He has not seen his son in a while but he does call him everyday.

No one else was in the house. He did not say anything to her; he merely observed his surroundings and watched her clean. She did not notice him looking though, she was too busy trying to distract herself from his presence. The place was quiet. Pearl was a bit tensed by this; the silence only made the whole atmosphere of the room more uncomfortable. "So, you've talked to Steven this morning?" She asked him, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, he seems to be having a lot of fun. He said something about watching the next Dogcopter movie I think." He replied.

"I see. Well, that's good. It's nice that he's having fun. How are things going for you?" She said, still not looking at him.

"They're great, I guess…" He replied to her, a bit shocked and weirded out by how much she's acknowledging his presence.

Despite the tension in their current relationship. He still loves her. Despite everything that has happened and could happen he can feel in his gut that his feelings will never change. However, he knows that its possible that she will never reciprocate his feelings and he respects that. He doesn't want to force her into something she doesn't want to do. As long as she's happy, he's happy.

"That's good…" She said with her back turned to him.

She continued to were both silent for the next few minutes. She glanced at him every once in a while. She caught him staring at her for a couple of times but she pretended she did not notice. The whole setting was perfect for her to set her plan into action; the two of them alone together in the house. She has a letter kept safe in her gem. She tried to prolong her work though, a part of her was scared of his response. After ignoring him for weeks. How can he respond positively to her feelings?

She finished the chore faster than she expected. She placed the broom back in the closet and walked towards him. Her head was down as she tried to avoid eye contact with him. He looked at her a bit confused on what she's doing.

"Greg…" She said, almost as silent as a whisper.

"Yes?" He asked her.

"I-I have something for you…" She said as she retrieved a white envelope from her gemstone.

She handed it to him before turning her back to him, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. Greg took it with both of his hands.

The envelope was made of a white scented sparkly specialty paper. It was sealed with a small pink heart-shaped sticker. Greg could feel the heat rise to his cheeks, he now has a pretty good idea on what the envelope contains. He looked up back at her and noticed that she was no longer in front of him but was standing in front of the temple door.

"Hey where are you going?" He asked.

"Uhhh, Bye!" She said before entering her room.

She wanted to tell him about her feelings but she couldn't say it straight to his face. It felt strange to do so. Garnet suggested she write him a letter instead. She laid on top of one of the waterfalls in her room. She poured her heart out in writing the letter, the only thing left for her to do now is hope for the best.

Greg heaved a deep sigh after she left. He looked back at the envelope and carefully undid the seal. It contains a pink stationary, he took it out and read the contents of the letter.

 _Dear Greg,_

 _I find it difficult to tell you this in person but I want you to know the truth. I know things have not been going well between us lately and I sincerely apologize for that. I made things awkward between us but I don't want this._

 _The truth is, I have feelings for you. I guess I was scared to admit it to myself at first but eventually I accepted it. I had doubts though, if it will ever work. I feel like I'm betraying Rose just by feeling this way and we come from different worlds. I know it worked out between you and Rose but she can make anything work out and I'm not exactly her._

 _I didn't know what to do after you confessed. I feel like, this will end badly. You are a human and I know your life isn't exactly as long as that of a gem. I don't want to be left alone again. Even up to know, I don't know if I will be able to take it. However, I do know that I want you to know the truth. I want you to know that I don't hate you. As a matter of fact, I'm in love with you. I'm really sorry I made things more complicated but I hope you would understand my situation. I don't really know what will or what should happen after this._

 _You have been a really great person, which I honestly did not expect. You showed me things about human culture I thought I'd never appreciate. I enjoyed spending time with you and Steven. I did not think I would ever have feelings for you but I did. I don't know if your feelings have changed, I hope they didn't. I love you but I respect your decision if you don't want to have anything to do with me._

 _Love Pearl_

It took Greg several reads before he was able to fully absorb the message of the letter. He had an idea it was a love letter, since it looked like the stereotypical note a person would give to a lover, but it still shocked him. The whole thing felt like a dream; she feels the same way but she has doubts. He wanted to hug her, hold her hand and tell her everything will be okay. He wanted to tell her how he went to Rose's armory with Steven and how he will be satisfied with a happy life with her and Steven, regardless of how short it will be. He wanted to comfort her and banish all of her fears but she was no where to be seen. He placed the letter back in the envelope and placed it in his pocket. He was determined to wait for her to return; it doesn't matter how long it would take.

A few minutes in, the temple entrance glowed and she emerged from the entrance. He could feel his cheeks blushing. Her head was down. She seemed to be aware of his presence but she didn't move closer to him nor did she speak nor tried to look up. He decided to make the first move; he slowly moved towards her with an understanding smile on his face.

"Pearl..." He gently called to her.

"H-have you read it?" She asked in a low voice; barely a whisper.

"Yes... I'm glad you feel the same. My feelings haven't changed. I love you..." He told her as he reached out his hand towards her.

She looked up at him. Tears were rolling down from her eyes to her bluish cheeks. She was actually crying tears of joy. She took his hand and he led her closer to him. She looked into his eyes; they were full of love and understanding. Even momentarily, her fears disappeared. It felt as though they were the only two beings in the universe. She unconsciously move closer to him and he placed his arms around her in response.

"T-thank you..." Was all she managed to say in between sobs.

She rested her head on his shoulder. He held her lovingly in his arms in a loving embrace, whispering comforting words to her.

They stayed in that position for a few minutes. "Is this what you want? Do you want to be with me. You know I would never pressure you to-" She cut him off.

"Yes, I want to be with you." She told him firmly. "B-but I-I'm not sure i-if this can work. Greg, I'm really worried." She admitted.

He tightened his hold on her then gently patted her back in a comforting manner. "We'll make this work... I promise. This isn't wrong. How can love be wrong?" he said.

She slightly broke away from him and looked at him. She could tell he meant what he said. This eased her fears a little bit. She gave him a slight smile, assuring him that she puts her trust in him. They will make it work, no matter what happens.

She looked so beautiful to him, he felt as though he can look into her deep blue eyes forever. Unconsciously, they moved their faces a bit closer to each other. Their lips were mere centimeters away from each other. When suddenly the door swung open.

"Steven's back!" Steven exclaimed as he entered the house.

"Steven!" Pearl and Greg exclaimed at the same time.

His eyes quickly fell on the two figures standing near the main entrance to the temple. He was a bit surprised to see Pearl and his father locked in a tight embrace. "What are you guys doing?" He asked a bit confused.

They immediately broke away from each other in embarrassment. Neither of them managed to think of a good response. However, it did not take long for Steven to figure out what's going on between the two of them. His eyes sparkled with excitement and he has a wide grin on his face. After trying to pair them up for months, after his father's confession ended badly and after the awkward weeks of trying to avoid each other, the two of them have finally gotten together.

"You guys are a couple now." He said gleefully.

"Uh, well, I guess you can say that, son." Greg admitted.

"I-I'm sorry y-you had to see us in such a uh-compromising position..." Pearl apologized.

"It's fine. I'm really happy for you guys. Congratulations!" Steven said excitedly as he hugged the two of them.

"Thank you, Steven. That means a lot to us." Pearl said as he patted his shoulder.

"Did you enjoy your stay at Connie's?" Greg asked.

"Yeah, her parents are really nice. Her dad took us to the space museum and her mom treated us to the latest Lonely Blade just this morning." He said.

"That's great. Oh yeah, I got you some fry bits. I think they became a little soggy though." Greg said as he handed the bag to his son.

"Thanks dad!" He replied as he put a piece into his mouth. "They still taste pretty good." He commented as he placed another piece into his mouth. He looked at the two of them as he ate. They both looked so relieved and happy and he was happy for them. The moment he set them up to go on their first date, he knew they should be together and he was glad he was right. Speaking of their first date, he distinctively remember the conversation he had with Pearl that night. He grinned at them and said. "So, since you guys are together... Can I call you mommy, Pearl?" He asked.

Greg tried to stifle a laugh. His son was so cute, and that question came as a pleasant surprise for him. He wouldn't really mind if he called her that. Pearl on the other hand, was caught off guard. It was not the first time that he asked her this. She gave him a slight smile out of embarrassment. "Uh Steven, I-I'm not really sure you need to do that but if you want I don't see a problem in doing so." She told him.

"Okay, I'll call you mommy then!" He exclaimed excitedly as he hugged her tight.

"Alright then..." She said.

"You guys are so cute..." Greg commented.

The door suddenly busted open. Garnet went inside, followed by Amethyst. "Pearl, Steven, we have a mission. We need to go now." Garnet said urgently.

"Yeah, sorry we had to cut your cheesy moments short." Amethyst said.

"Sorry dad, we'll hang out with you later..." Steven apologized.

"We'll come by your carwash after we finish this." Pearl said.

"Okay, good luck on your mission!" He told them right before they stepped into the warp pad.

"Greg, maybe you want to come with us. This particular mission isn't that dangerous to humans." Garnet offered.

"Nah, I'm good. Go on and save the world." He told them.

He bid them goodbye right before they left. He left the house soon after. A huge grin was plastered on his face. Surely, this is the start of something good.

* * *

 _Phew, well that's the end of part 1 and at the same time the start of part 2 (which is sadly much shorter than part 1) I hope you guys, liked this chapter. Sorry for the late update, it took me a while to write this one and if this chapter looks a but familiar, congratulations, you have subtly noticed my laziness. I hope everyone enjoyed this and now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to enjoy my Christmas Vacation! :D_


	21. Chapter 21

_I'm so sorry for the extremely late update. I took a short break from everything that seems remotely productive XD. Anyway, on with the story. I hope you guys like this one. Even if it seems a bit filler-ish._

* * *

Greg slowly opened the doors to his van and showed Pearl and Steven the mess that has accumulated in his vehicle for the past few months. Clothes were scattered everywhere, his instruments were placed in random locations and one could barely see the floor of the van. Pearl was visibly frustrated by the sight. He's still a mess, as always.

"Whoa, this is messier than last time…" Steven commented.

"Greg, didn't we clean this out months ago?" She sighed exasperatedly.

"Y-yes, b-but I guess I'm not good and organizing, cleaning and stuff…I'm sorry, honey..." He said as he sheepishly smiled at her apologetically.

Despite everything they've been through, she still feels annoyed at him at times, especially at his messy nature but he couldn't stay mad at him for long. How can she? She can easily overlook all of his faults, thanks to his charm and sweet nature. She smiled at him. "Well… I guess, it can't be helped… We'll have to take out all of your possessions and place them back in a more organized manner." She replied with a slight smile on her face.

"Looks like we're going to have a long day ahead of us, Steven. Are you ready for this?" Pearl asked as she turned to Steven.

"I was born ready!" He replied happily.

"Thanks a lot, guys. I owe you one."

"It's no problem, dad. We're happy to help." Steven commented as he climbed inside the van and took out a folded box to put some of his father's things inside.

"Yes, this is no trouble at all, but you really need to keep your things in order." Pearl commented.

"I'll try… I'm gonna get more boxes. Be right back." Greg replied as he headed out towards his storage unit.

"What a mess… and to think we just cleaned this about a year ago." Pearl said as she placed some of Greg's belongings inside the box.

"Yeah… a lot has happened in the previous year though." Steven replied.

"True, but some things will never change…" She replied as she looked inside the van, surveying the mess further.

A few minutes later, Greg came back carrying two folded cardboard boxes. "Okay, let's do this." He said eagerly to the two.

The three of them would need to spend the entire day cleaning out Greg's van. Steven didn't mind this though, provided that they get to rest every so often. He loved looking at his father's things. Usually, he finds something of interest- letters, books, old records and other things from his father's past. It seem pointless to a lot if people to hold on to so much stuff, but he knows every single item from his father's stash holds some value. However, he knows that his father's hoarding tendencies and - should not be emulated. Nevertheless, he understands why his father collects.

In that particular instance, he found a polaroid camera. It looked to be an old model- it didn't appear to be one of the modern instant cameras that has just become a trend as of recent. He wiped the dust off of the lens and looked at the object further.

"Ah, you found my old camera. I thought I had placed it in storage." Greg commented upon seeing his son with the device.

"Does it still work?" Steven asked, still focused on the camera.

"It should. I have some film for this camera in the storage I think. I'll look for it later after we're done with the van. Do you want it?" He asked, upon noticing his son's interest on the device.

"Can I have it?" He asked.

"Of course, we just have to make sure it works." He replied.

"So, do the two of you want to spend your whole evening cleaning up all this?" Pearl asked sarcastically as she noticed the two of them "slacking off".

"Oh-uh right! Back to work!" He told her with an apologetic smile.

"You can hold on to that camera for now, son." He whispered into Steven's ear.

He placed the camera in his bag and went back to work. Other than the camera, Steven didn't find anything worth of interest to him. Nevertheless, he didn't mind the work. His father made the work fun and Pearl make sure that they organized all of the things properly. Storage boxes and makeshift shelves helped in putting everything into order.

The sun had already went down when they finished and they were all exhausted. Steven sat down on the edge of the van next to Pearl. His father walked towards them and handed him a worn-out old looking box. He opened it and his eyes lit up when he saw that it was filled with packs of film that were compatible with the camera he found earlier that day.

"What are those, Steven?" Pearl asked.

"I think these are films for the camera I found earlier. It's one of those that prints out the picture seconds after you took it." He said as he took out the camera from his bag.

"Why would you need that? Your phone has a camera." She asked.

"Yeah, I guess I just like the novelty of it and the nostalgic properties it holds." He said in reply.

"Wanna test it out?" Greg asked.

"Okay!" He said in excitement.

His father showed him how to load the film into the camera and he also taught him how to take a picture with it. After learning the basics he asked Pearl and his father to pose for a picture. The two of them sat at the edge of the back of the van. Greg placed his arm over Pearl's shoulder and she gently leaned her head against his shoulder. The two of them smiled at the camera and Steven took the picture. After a few seconds, the camera printed out the picture and Steven watched as the blank film slowly revealed the image of Greg and Pearl, their figures were gently illuminated by the light from the van. This one's a keeper, he thought to himself.

"It works!" He exclaimed gladly as he handed his father the polaroid picture.

"Wow, I can't believe the camera and the film still work after so many years." Greg said as he showed the photo to Pearl.

"This is lovely. You're quite the photographer, Steven." She said.

"Thank you. Maybe I can bring this on our missions." He said.

"Uhh, I'm not sure that's a good idea though..." She told him.

"I guess not..." He agreed as he placed the camera and a pack of film into his bag.

"So what do you want to have for dinner, Steven?" Greg asked.

"I feel like having pizza." He said in reply.

"Pizza it is then."

"Okay, but I have to go to the bathroom. You guys wait up for me okay?" He said right before rushing towards the nearest bathroom.

"We'll be here." Pearl reassured him.

As soon as Steven was out of view, Greg moved a bit closer to Pearl, he can feel the heat rise to his cheeks. "So uhh, remember when you confessed to me and uhh..." He began.

"How can I forget about that day? It was one of the happiest moments in my life." She looked at him with love and happiness.

"Well, uhh… You remember that r-right before Steven returned t-that we were just about to…" He said as he reached out to touch her hand.

"Oh, right. We haven't exactly…" She said as she unconsciously leaned a bit closer to him.

"Only if it's okay with you…" He said as he used his other hand to cup her cheek.

"Of course…" She said with a smile.

They closed their eyes as they slowly leaned in closer towards each other. For the first time their lips touched and at that very moment they both knew that they were really meant for each other. There was definitely a spark between them that they never thought would exist. For both of them, it felt as though they were the only two people in the universe, sharing a moment they wish could last forever.

They suddenly heard a click of a camera and in shock both of them immediately moved away from each other and looked towards the source of the sound.

"Steven!" They exclaimed in unison.

The camera soon printed out the image. Steven smiled upon seeing the picture. "This one, is definitely a keeper." He said.

* * *

 _Happy New Year! I hope everyone is having a good time and please stay safe. Be cautious when lighting fireworks and firecrackers, be careful when you're walking in the street and look out for stray bullets. I know I'm treating this like the freakin Purge but one can never be too careful. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next update :)_


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello everyone! Sorry again for my extremely long absence. I'm not dead!... yet. hahaha... Anyway, I had to reread some of my chapters to get back into the rhythm of things. I'll try to finish this before I have to go back to school again because if I don't my absence will be waaaay longer than the last one. Thesis is hard and tedious, you know. Anyway, for the mean time I'll limit my contributions to this site by publishing only one shots and focusing on this story. (so yeah, same old, same old). Enjoy the chapter!**

 **BTW, spoilers if you haven't watched Catch and Release and its subsequent episodes.**

* * *

"Oh Steven..." Pearl sighed exasperatedly upon looking at the picture he had taken of her and Greg. She placed the picture back into the photo album he keeps next to his bed.

"You didn't like that one? I was sure that one would've been your favorite... mommy..." He looked at her with his sad puppy eyes, just before placing his attention back to his unfinished breakfast.

"Oh n-no! I-It's nothing like that...uhh son..." She said, still a bit unsure if she should call him son. The word still leaves a weird taste in her mouth upon saying it. In fact, she wasn't really 100% comfortable yet with hearing him call her mommy. It felt strange but she tries not to mind it too much. As long as Steven doesn't stop acknowledging Rose as his real mother, then she'll be fine with it.

He looked back at her, patiently waiting for her to continue. Pearl looked back at him, unable to come up with a good reply. It could be that she just felt it was awkward and a little bit uncomfortable that the child was documenting even the intimate interactions she has with Greg.

"It's just that it seems a little strange..." She finally said.

"Strange?" He asked right before taking another bite .

"Yes, strange. It's not that you couldn't take pictures of us. It's just that you should really inform us first. It's a bit uncomfortable for you to uhhh- documenting everything..." She told him.

"Okay, I won't do it again."

"Very good, Steven. Bring your dishes to the counter after you're done. I'll clean them for you."

"Thanks, Pearl!" Amethyst said as she placed her dirty dishes on the counter.

"Oh, you didn't eat the plates this time?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Eh, I'm kinda full..." Amethyst replied.

"Oh, I didn't know that's possible." She joked as she reluctantly started cleaning up after her fellow Crystal Gem.

"It happens every once in a while... So, any signs of Peridot?" She asked.

"I checked this morning-nothing. I'll check again after I'm done with this." She said in reply.

"I'm done. Do you need any help?" Steven asked as he placed his dishes on the counter.

"It's fine, Steven. Why don't you play outside for a while?" Pearl told him.

"Yeah, maybe we'll join you later." Amethyst added.

As Steven left the house, Amethyst turned to Pearl again. "By the way, Garnet's been asking your schedule."

"My schedule?"

"Yeah, I guess she's just trying to make sure that your dates and missions are not in conflict. So how about it P? Care to share it with me?"

"We're planning to out this Friday. I'm not sure where- Steven and Greg said they wanted it to be a surprise but you two do know that I will never let my personal life get in the way of my commitment to the team." She said in reply.

"I guess it'll be out of character if you do... So what'll you do if they happen to bring you to one of my wrestling matches?" She asked with a noticeable smirk on her face.

"Amethyst! Why would they-" She stopped herself mid-sentence as she noticed her snickering. She definitely knows something she doesn't. Maybe Greg and Steven do intend on bringing her there but why would they even do that. The sport doesn't interest her in the slightest.

"Don't tell me that they would-"

"I'm not saying anything..." Amethyst teased.

Pearl heaved a big sigh as she wiped the last dish clean right before placing it on the rack next to the sink. "Well, I'm done here. Let's just check on Peridot..." She said.

"Okay, I'm gonna call Garnet."

* * *

"Her coordinates are close to one of the warp pads- the galaxy warp of all places. Should we go after her?" She asked upon checking the location of Peridot through her escape pod.

"Of course, let's all end this as soon as we can." Garnet replied.

"I'll call Steven." Amethyst announced as she rushed out of the house.

In a few moments, the four of them were able to spot the green gem. They all hid. They all glanced at her as she examined the destroyed warp pad. She doesn't seem to be aware of their presence.

"So what's the plan?" Amethyst asked.

"We need to surround her from all sides. I'll attack first, if she managed to evade me, I'll signal the rest of you to go after her." Garnet said in a low whisper.

"Let's prepare our weapons. We need to act quickly." Pearl added.

The four of them stood on opposite sides of the warp, each of them hiding behind one of the smaller warp pads. As soon as Peridot was in close proximity to Garnet's location, she lunged at her with her gauntlets. She was caught off guard but was able to dodge her attack.

"Now!" Garnet yelled.

The rest of the Crystal Gems emerged from their hiding place and cornered Peridot. She immediately took off to the air. Pearl and Amethyst simultaneously attacked her. Peridot managed to dodge the spear but in doing so she got herself caught in Amethyst whip. She roughly pulled her back down to the ground before Peridot could act. Amethyst stepped on the gem's torso to lessen her chance of escape as Pearl aimed her spear at her.

"N-no! Y-you all need me! You need me to save this doomed planet!" She begged.

"Shut it!" Amethyst exclaimed as she covered Peridot's mouth with the rest of her whip.

Garnet looked at her with contempt. She caused nothing but trouble to all of them. The only way to be sure that she never bothers them again was to force her back into her gem. She positioned her gauntlets on top of the captured gem. It's all finally gonna end... Steven then pushed her back. This caught her off guard and he managed to knock the both of them towards the ground.

"N-no wait! S-she knows something..." Steven said.

"She's just trying to get to you... It's a desperate plea for mercy." Garnet explained. She then turned to Pearl. "Pearl finish this."

She replied with a slight nod. She was about to plunge her spear straight into the captured gem when Steven cried out for her to stop.

"P-please... Let's just hear her out..." Steven said as he slowly got off Garnet.

The three gems looked at each other questioningly. Should they allow her to speak? Steven does seem interested on what she has to say; knowing him, it will only trouble him if they didn't give her the chance to speak. Maybe he's right. His gut feelings are rarely wrong.

"Alright then... Peridot, make this quick." Garnet stated.

Amethyst removed the restraints she had on her mouth. For the first few seconds, Peridot just panted and gasped for air but she eventually spoke up in an alarmed and worried voice. "T-the cluster is going to destroy this planet! We're all doomed, we're all going to die!"

"The cluster?" Steven asked.

"Yes, it's the ultimate gem weapon. It is located in the earth's core and once it hatches, the earth's gonna get destroyed!" She explains right before panicking and stating how they're all doomed.

"Garnet, I don't think she's making this up." Amethyst stated with a slightly worried look on her face.

"Let's keep her in this form for now. Let's go back to the temple." Garnet stated.

* * *

Pearl looked out into the horizon. The sun was slowly starting to set in the distance. It was beautiful- majestic, it reminded her of Rose's love for the planet. Rose was right, the earth is beautiful and over the years, they all learned to recognize it as their home. She in particular, has grown attached not only to the planet but some of its inhabitants as well- notably Steven and his father. She doesn't know what she'll do if she lost everything that Rose had fought for, everything that she and her friends cared about and everyone that she grown to love.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Steven sit next to her. "Are you okay?"

She turned to him and gave him a sad smile. "What do you think about all of this, Steven..." She asked him.

"What do I I think? Of the cluster?" He asked to confirm. Pearl nodded in reply.

"I think we can stop it! We just need to try. Because if we don't the more we'll fail, right?" He told her.

She looked at him, his eyes were full of hope. It then clicked to her. No matter how hard things will get, Steven will always be there to encourage them- to encourage her. Heck, if it wasn't for him she would never had gotten along with Greg nor would they have fallen in love. For the first time since Rose's death, she had a renewed sense of vigor. She's found happiness once again and this time she's not letting it go.

"Right!" She said as she hugged him tightly.

* * *

 **Okay, I hope you guys enjoyed this one! Expect the next chapter to come out soon :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Okay, 23rd Chapter... Enjoy everyone!**

* * *

Peridot explained to them the nature of the cluster. Their solution was simple- to create a large enough and strong enough drill to get to the center of the earth and destroy it before it can do any damage to the earth. It is an understatement to say that she doesn't get along with the Crystal Gems, except maybe for Amethyst and Steven but one can't really say that they're friends. Garnet and Pearl were only tolerating her for the sake of the mission. They might even have forced her to retreat back into her gemstone if the earth wasn't in danger but they needed her; she knows more about the cluster than any of them and no doubt they'll need her to stop it.

Pearl, in particular, she treated like a servant. Despite showing advanced engineering skills and technological knowledge, she still sees her as inferior. For the most part, she tried to ignore it but she has almost reached her breaking point and her teammates have noticed. This is why, despite trying to cancel her date with Greg that Friday, her friends insisted that she go out.

"But we need to get this done immediately and do you really think I can trust her with the construction of this drill?" Pearl reasoned.

"We'll handle it. Besides, the two of you have already finished the blueprints. If she tried to do any other projects we can easily detect it." Garnet replied.

"That's true but-"

"No buts, you deserve this." Garnet said with a smile.

"Yeah, take a chill pill, P. We can handle this." Amethyst added.

"Enjoy yourself." Garnet said as she gently nudged Pearl towards the barn door.

Pearl knows that their leader also has a hard time in dealing with Peridot. She looked back at her with a mixture of concern and confusion. "How about you?" She asked. "You don't exactly get along well with her either."

Garnet chuckled. "Don't worry about me. You're going on a date, right? And me, I'm always on a date. I'll take a break some other time."

"Yeah, just go... Let loose... have fun!" Amethyst said as she dragged her friend towards Greg's van.

"Well, alright then." She said with a smile on her face. "Looks like we're going out after all." She said as she turned towards Greg.

"That's great! I have a fun night planned for us!" Greg said excitedly as he held the door open for her.

Both of them had just gotten inside the vehicle when they noticed Steven rushing towards them. "Are you guys, going already?" He asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"Yeah, you wanna come with us, son?" Greg asked.

"Nah, I just wanna say goodbye so goodbye and have fun on your date!" Steven said happily.

"Thanks, Steven. We'll see you soon." Pearl said.

Greg started the car and they started to drive off. The rest of the Crystal Gems and Peridot watched as the van disappeared into the distance. Peridot is really perplexed on why a gem would fall in love with a human. The concept is strange to her and she is not the type to keep her mouth shut regarding things she does not approve of.

"I find their relationship extremely strange. That human, he has had previous romantic relations with a gem, correct?" Peridot asked.

"Yeah, my mom." Steven replied.

"Facinating... He seems to have an attraction to gems but I find it more intriguing that gems would willingly associated themselves with a human in such a way... It's even more absurd than this thing before me." She said as she casually waved her hand towards Garnet.

"That's it!" Garnet said angrily as she walked closer towards Peridot.

* * *

"So Greg, where are you taking me?" Pearl asked.

"At first, I was thinking we can go to a wrestling match but Amethyst told me they cancelled today's matches..." He explained.

"Oh, that's too bad..." Pearl lied as she forced herself to give Greg a big smile. Secretly she was relieved that he had to change his plans. She really qualify two humans fighting in such a manner as entertainment. She and Greg do have different interests though and she respects his enjoyment for the sport.

"So I'll be taking you to the newly opened theme park in the next town. How does that sound?" He asked her.

"I think that's a better idea than going to a wrestling match." Pearl replied.

She knows that Greg has been trying to help her in understanding humans better by engaging in their activities and despite her doubts and reluctance in participating in some of the activities, she appreciates his enthusiasm. Even though she didn't really enjoy herself much in the theme park in Beach City maybe she'll have fun in another.

They both played some music and had small talk as they drove. After some time they reached their destination. They parked the van and bought tickets.

The place was just like any other theme park- there wasn't really anything special about it. Despite this, Greg was determined to show her a good time. They first tried to get on the roller coaster, which turned out to be a bad idea since both of them did not enjoy and it only made Greg threw up, which extremely disgusted Pearl. They had dinner after that or at least Greg did. Pearl still refuses to eat anything but she's more than happy to spend time with him as he ate. Afterwards, they decided to play some of the games and they even managed to win a few prizes. They both agreed that Steven will like them more than either of them so they decided to give all their prizes to him.

They decided to end their evening with a ride on the ferriswheel. Despite a few setbacks, Pearl had to admit that she had a fun evening, she wouldn't want to spend her evening any other way. As they approached the top, they both looked out to admire the view before them. The lights of the park danced before their eyes and hearing the laughter of children together with their families only lightened their mood.

"It's too bad Steven didn't come with us. He would have enjoyed himself." Pearl said.

"Yeah, it would be fun with him... I'm glad we can spend this day together though." Greg said.

"You did save me from an evening of having to interact with that gem." She stated.

"Maybe she's not that bad. She doesn't really know what it's like here on earth. She might come around eventually." He said in reply.

"That's true." She said with a sigh.

Their ride suddenly stops and they both look at each other questioningly. They both heard screaming from below. They looked down only to see a gem monster attacking the place. It appears to be a giant orange spider with an octagonal-shaped gem on its back.

"W-what is that thing? I-Is that-" He asked.

She nodded in reply. "Let's get down from here." She said right before picking him up and jumping down.

"Wow, you're heavier than I thought." She commented.

"I'm not that fat am I?"

"Let's talk about this later. Stay here." She said as she took out her spear.

She rushed towards the creature and striked the creature on the head. It tried to attack her with one of its legs in retaliation but she managed to dodge it. She lunged towards it and she managed to impale the creature's body on her spear. It poofed immediately and she bubbled the gem and transported it back into the temple before it can regenerate.

"I-I think its time we head home..." Greg commented as he walked towards her.

They both walked back towards the van in silence. Pearl handled that creature with ease but he couldn't help but be reminded of the danger his son is put to on a daily basis. Its true that the gems are more than capable of protecting him but he couldn't help but worry sometimes.

"That thing was big..." Greg finally spoke up as they both got inside the vehicle.

"Yes, but its has been taken care of. We do not need to worry about that thing any longer." Pearl said in reply.

They both sat in silence for a few moments before Pearl spoke up again "There are other things we should worry about." She whispered.

"Something troubling you?" Greg asked in a concerned tone.

"Its nothing. Just some gem stuff." She said in reply.

Despite her determination to stop the cluster and to save the earth together with her teammates. She couldn't help but worry about it. She's scared that everything could one day disappear- that one day it will all end. Greg knew that something's wrong and she's hiding it from him. He can tell that she needed to talk to someone. He parked the car at the edge of the road. He looked at her with love and concern. "Listen, I know I shouldn't interfere with you guys but if somethings troubling you. I'm all ears."

"I know..." She said in reply. "But don't worry we can handle it..." She said with a forced smile.

"You're really determined to keep me in the dark, huh?"

"Uhh, well you see... I'm not really certain if I should-" She has yet to discuss with the other gems if she should disclose any information on the cluster to him or to any human. Even if she wanted to, she shouldn't really share any information with him just yet.

"Its fine. Just know that if you need someone to talk to I'll be here. I'll always be here for you.

She hugged him in return. He was surprised by this but nevertheless, he placed his hands around her in return. She just want to savor every single moment she has with her loved ones, knowing that it can be taken from her at any given time. Besides, regardless if they were able to save the planet or not, humans have short lives. It seems as though everything that's wonderful must one day come to an end but she doesn't want to think about that right now- what's important is the present. What's important is that everyone is okay and they still have the power to change the course of the future-to save the earth.

"Let's just savor this moment together..." She said as she hugged him tighter.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author: Hi guys, sorry for the hold up. You see-**

 **Pearl: You had writer's block didn't you?**

 **Author: Uh... Did you guys hear something?**

 **Steven: Are you the author?**

 **Author: ... I'm not insane... I'm not insane...**

 **Greg: Are you okay?**

 **Author: Gah! I AM INSANE!**

 **Steven: N-no, that's not true... We-**

 **Pearl: I think we should explain this to her...**

 **Author: Okay... L-let's just go on with the chapter...**

* * *

Greg spent the entire morning with his son. He especially enjoyed his company that day since he and the rest of gems seem to have been busy with a project that he doesn't really understand. All he knows is that they are building some sort of transport system with a gem from Homeworld, in order to solve a gem-related problem that they have. Neither his son nor his girlfriend would disclose any other information to him. One thing's for sure though, this isn't a typical mission for the Crystal Gems, Pearl was visibly worried about the outcome of their mission despite her attempts to hide them. Steven and the rest of the Crystal Gems managed to hide their feelings a lot better though but Greg knew he's son well and he can tell that the boy was scared as well. On the other hand, the new gem-Peridot, is obviously tense about the whole thing. No, she wasn't scared- she was downright terrified. He knew better than to pry though; Rose had always told him never to interfere with gem stuff but he just couldn't help but be concerned about the well-being of his friends and by the looks of it- the well-being of the entire planet as well.

He took Steven out to get pizzas for lunch. Both of them had taken a few bites right before Greg paused and called his son's attention. "Steven." He began.

"Yeah, dad?" Steven asked.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, visibly concerned about his son.

"Well, so far things are going well so everything's fine. Don't worry about me, dad. The Crystal Gems have yet to fail!" He exclaimed proudly.

Greg smiled at him, somewhat satisfied with his son's answer. "Okay son. Just keep in mind that if there's anything troubling you, you can always turn to your dear ol dad." He told his as he gave him a pat on the head.

"Will do. Thanks dad, you're the best." He said in reply.

After lunch, the two of them drove back to the barn. Steven told his dad about some of the adventures he had with his friends, he told him how Peridot is slowly but surely adjusting to her new way of life but he never disclosed anything about the cluster. It was agreed upon that they will tell no human, not even Greg and Connie about the cluster. If the humans knew, mass hysteria might occur.

"We're back!" Steven announced as he got off the van and ran towards the gems.

"Nice to see you, Steven. Did you have fun?" Garnet asked happily upon seeing him.

"Yeah, dad took me to the park then we saw a movie then we ate pizza." Steven narrated.

"Looks like you had a lot of fun, little man." Amethyst remarked.

"I sure did-" He was cut off by the sound of metal falling to the ground.

"Peridot, what did you do?" Pearl asked, looking up at Peridot who was sitting at the edge of the barn roof. The rest of them looked towards the two gems. They noticed that on the ground, just below where Peridot was sitting was a piece of the barn's roof.

"I was merely performing experiments on this planet's gravity. A pearl such as yourself will never understand." Peridot commented.

Pearl was annoyed but it was to be expected that Peridot would remain on her high horse for a while despite everything that she has seen. She has been brought up to look down upon her. She still infuriates her though.

"It's fine. I'll just fix the roof. Easy-peasy." Greg commented.

Pearl perked up upon hearing him. He turned to him and asked. "Oh, I see you're back. Did Steven have fun?"

"Yeah, by the looks of it." He said in reply.

"I'm really sorry about, Peridot. She's not exactly good at dealing with human-related things." Pearl whispered.

"Hey! I heard that!" Peridot exclaimed.

"It's not a problem. I'll patch it up in a jiffy. You go back to... uh whatever it is you guys are doing..." He told her.

"Alright then, just call us if you need anything." Pearl said in reply.

Greg immediately went to work. The hole was big but it can be easily repaired. He then noticed the gems and Steven inside the barn discussing something. Peridot was standing before the rest, next to her was a chalkboard with some figures and writing that he could barely understand from where he was located. It appeared to be chalk-drawn blueprints to something though but he couldn't tell. They were discussing something about their mission. Greg can hear their conversation if he tried very hard to listen but it was unlike him to eavesdrop. He placed a piece of metal on one part of the roof and started hammering away. The bangs echoed inside the barn and this agitated Peridot.

"Oh no it's the cluster! ITS GONNA DESTROY THE PLANET! WE'RE ALL DOOMED!" She exclaimed as she started running around the barn while flailing her arms in panic.

Greg heard everything. He knows nothing about the cluster but he knew the green gem was not joking. It was gonna destroy the planet. For the first time in a long time, he was extremely afraid. He had been worried about his son going on dangerous missions before but this was different. Steven, his young son, was facing something extremely dangerous- something that has the power to destroy the world. He didn't want to but he felt that he has to listen in on their conversation.

"Will you stop! It's just a hammer." Garnet said as she held the smaller gem by the shoulders.

"You don't want me to tie you up again do you." Garnet threatened, remembering how she placed her on a leash the night Greg and Pearl went out.

"Okay... Okay... I'm calm..." Peridot said as she took in a deep breath before collapsing in the seat next to Amethyst.

"Good, now where were we?" Garnet asked with a smile.

"Ah yes, so our plan is to use the drill head we obtained from the kindergarden to construct our machine and-"

"Can we put cup holders?" Amethyst asked, interrupting Peridot's line of thought.

"Yeah, can we?" Steven asked.

"Cup holders? What are these cup holders?" Peridot asked with a raised eyebrow.

"They're... you know... devices wherein you can place your cup and your drink won't get tipped over." Steven explained.

"Hmm... No, that might take up too much space-"

"I'll install some." Pearl retorted.

"What? but we might not have enough room for them!" Peridot reasoned.

"They barely take up any space. Just leave it to me." Pearl told her.

"Yeah! You go Pearl! Hear that Steven we got cup holders!" Amethyst exclaimed right before high-fiving Steven.

Peridot sighed. "Now that that's out of the way can we discuss the important matters at hand?" Peridot said, obviously annoyed at the other gems.

The rest of them nodded. Peridot then discussed how they were going to build the drill and the urgency of their mission. Based on what he has heard, Greg interpreted that the cluster was a gem creation in the center of the earth and it will destroy the planet after sometime. He didn't know how to react; he knows that the gems are capable of destroying the thing and they would never allow Steven to get hurt but there is a possibility that they will fail and he doesn't really want to think about that. Should he stop Steven from going on this mission? No, the gems need him and like it or not his son is growing up and he can make decisions for himself. No doubt, Steven would want to help the rest of the team. He then thought of Pearl- he just got her and now he can loose her. No, he can't loose everything- his son, his love, his friends, his van...

He finished repairing the roof and after informing the others that he will take his leave. All of them bid him goodbye, seemingly oblivious to what he knows, Garnet looked at him in a way that made her seem aware of what he's hiding but he shrugged it off. Then he got into his van and drove off. He didn't mention to them that he was aware of the cluster. It just seems that its not the right time to tell them. He needed to clear his head and driving seems like a good way to distract himself.

* * *

He was driving for an entire hour. He didn't return to the car wash immediately; he just kept driving around the outskirts of the town in an attempt to clear his head and further reflect on what he has just heard. To his left was a small graveyard that he usually ignore when he drives by the area. However, he soon recognized a familiar figure walking towards the entrance. He parked his car at the side of the road, making sure not to hinder the movement of the vehicles on that road.

"Mayor Dewey." He called.

He looked back at Greg with a questioning look. He didn't expect him to be here nor did he expect the man to call his attention. They knew each other but they were not friends nor were they acquaintances. However, Greg needed someone to talk to- anyone will do, except for his son and the gems that is.

"Mr. Universe, what brings you here?" He asked him, genuinely surprised by his presence.

"Please call me Greg. I-I guess I just want to get some air." He said.

"A little strange that you chose the cemetery to do that." Dewey commented.

"Yeah..." Greg admitted.

"Do you want to join me?" Dewey asked.

"Sure."

the two of them walked inside the cemetery in silence. Dewey took the lead and Greg followed behind him. They then stopped in front of a gravestone. Dewey kneeled in front of the grave and placed a bouquet of flowers just below the gravestone. Greg stood behind him then he noticed the text engraved in the stone- Julia Edith Dewey 1969-2000.

"I'm really sorry for your loss." Greg said as he put a hand on Dewey's shoulder in an attempt to console him.

"It's alright... It's been years... I'm healing slowly. I-I have been on a few dates you know." He said in reply as he stood up and gave a thankful smile.

"Really? How'd they go." Greg asked, despite knowing that one of those dates went badly. He hoped that the man had better luck after that.

"Badly..." He admitted.

"Oh..."

"That's not really a surprise though, she was the best... I get infatuated at times but I wonder if I could ever replace her...You... You probably know how this feels right?" He asked.

"Yeah... Rose was the greatest... but for me if you love someone else after your wife's death that does not necessarily mean you replaced her. It just means you moved on from your grief." Greg said in reply as he secretly recalled the events of the past months.

"Yes, I guess so..." Dewey replied.

"Can I ask you a question." Greg asked.

"Go ahead"

He took in a deep breath. If the gems wanted to keep their mission from him then they surely won't appreaciate him disclosing information about their mission to others. He ought to be careful in what he says. "Let's say you found someone new and you couldn't be happier…" He began.

"That's a nice thought..." Dewey commented.

"But... there's a chance that you'll loose everything... I know it sounds silly…"

"It's not but the thing is... we can loose everything at anytime. None of us are certain about what the future holds but what I'd do though if there is a big chance that that will happen is I'd take the next step." Dewey commented.

Greg looked at him in confusion. He makes a good point; nothing in the world is ever certain. No one is sure what tomorrow will bring but what he's suggesting seems rushed and shocking to him but it made sense for some reason. "The next step? You don't mean?"

"That's exactly what I mean. So who's the lucky girl?" He asked.

"What?"

"It's fine if you don't want to disclose anything but you're pretty easy to read though." Dewey chuckled.

"I guess so. Thanks for the talk."

"Anytime… We should really get back. Its getting dark."

Greg drove back to Beach City with a clearer mind. He thought of Pearl then he thought of what Dewey told him. Its true, he can loose everything but not before he proclaim his undying love, the same thing he did together with Rose several years ago. "The next step- marriage…"

* * *

 **Author: Okay, while you were reading that, dear readers, I talked to these three regarding their presence.**

 **Steven: We showed up to make things interesting at this part of the story!**

 **Author: Yep, so how did you guys like this chapter? I know this one is cheesier than my lasagna though...**

 **Pearl: What? N-no... Okay, that is sort of true.**

 **Greg: BTW, how'd you come up with a name for Dewey's wife.**

 **Author: It's very uncreative actually. I looked at my bookshelf and saw _My Life in France_ by Julia Child and Edith Hamilton's _Mythology._ You can probably guess what I did from there. Anyway, hope you guys like this one. **


	25. Chapter 25

**Author: Greetings! The story was limited by the author responsibilities of the author. However, it should be-  
**

 **Greg: Uhh, I know its been a while but why are you talking like that?**

 **Author: Thesis... thesis happened. I'm done with it though. Done with university!**

 **Greg: Congratulations!**

 **Pearl: Thesis?**

 **Author: Its a long story. I'll tell you guys while the story progresses.**

* * *

Greg couldn't be happier and he couldn't ask for more. He has a wonderful son, a caring girlfriend and he's surrounded by supportive friends. To him, his life was perfect and this day was perfect. It was a sunny day and they all decided to relax on the beach. Amethyst and Peridot were out in the water, Garnet was sunbathing and he, Steven and Pearl were constructing a large sandcastle. They were putting the extra details on the structure when Steven looked at him happily.

"Wow dad, you're really good at this!" He praised.

"I agree. Your sandcastle-building skills are superb, dear." Pearl agreed.

"I'm not that good..."

"Sure you are dad! In fact, you're awesome at so many things! You're the best dad ever!" Steven exclaimed.

"I agree! You're the best, love!" Pearl exclaimed as she hugged Greg from behind.

"Oh, uhh. Thanks... That really means a lot." Greg replied as he blushed slightly.

Greg felt as though he was the happiest man alive. He's life is perfect and to him, nothing can ruin it. He has been through a lot before and now its time for him to finally relax and not worry. Surely nothing can ruin his day-nothing can ruin his perfect life.

He suddenly felt a slight tremor. He chalked it up as a weak earthquake at first but it grew stronger and stronger. Everyone was on their toes; aware that this could lead to danger.

"It's the cluster!" Peridot exclaimed in a panicked tone.

"Wha- It's here!" Greg asked in disbelief.

"We have to get to the drill now!" Pearl exclaimed as she ran with the rest of the gems towards the direction of the barn.

Greg held onto his son in an attempt to stop him from following the others. The ground shifted below them and the gems lost their balance. A fissure formed beneath Pearl's feet. She was not able to react quickly as the crack suddenly grew and she plummeted towards the abyss.

"Pearl no!" Greg cried out.

More cracks formed beneath the other gems. Steven, upon seeing what happened to Pearl rushed to the other's aid to make sure they're okay. The ground shifted again and as a result he was slowly slipping towards one of the fissures. Greg rushed towards his son in an attempt to save him. Steven called out to him and the rest of the gems as he held onto the edge for dear life. Greg was just a couple of meters away from his son when his fingers slipped.

"Daaad!" Steven called out as he fell.

"Steven! Noooo!"

* * *

"Are you alright?" Pearl asked as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Greg woke up in a cold sweat. He was panting heavily and there were still some tears in his eyes. He stared at Pearl for a while before hugging her. "I'm so glad you're okay..."

Pearl, despite her confusion returned his hug. "Yes, why wouldn't I be? What did you dream about?"

"That I... I lost everything..."

"Oh Greg-" She was cut off by a slight shaking.

He looked at her worryingly. He recalled his dream. Is it really going to happen?

"Another tremor..." Pearl said under her breath.

"Another?"

"There was a slight earthquake while you slept. You were thrashing in your covers. You wouldn't wake up and I couldn't just leave you." She told him.

"Then stay..." He said weakly.

"You know I can't do that. Stay safe, Greg. I need to make sure Steven and the others are alright. That might be..." She stopped, unable to continue her statement.

"The cluster." Greg said in reply.

Pearl nodded before running out of the van.

Greg followed her with his gaze for a long while, unsure of what else to do. He eventually broke out of his trance and managed to get dressed and rushed towards the barn to make sure that his son is safe. However, just like in his nightmare,a huge crack forms in between him and his intended destination. He tried to find a way around it but the fissure kept growing longer with every second and he wasn't fast enough to catch up with it. He might be able to do so if he were to drive but the tremors could slow him down and besides, he has no time to get the van anyway. Jumping across it was not an option either; the break was too big and he will not be able to get a good footing with all of the shaking.

With no other options left, he ran back to safety. As he ran, he tried to recall all of the stories that his son has shared and how he managed to conquer all his adversaries before. His son has been on so many dangerous missions and he survived all of them without getting critically injured. He tried to take comfort in his knowledge that his son had faced dangers before, that the Crystal Gems will never let anything bad happen to Steven and the entire planet for that matter. Still, he couldn't help but worry. As a parent to Steven and as a friend to the Crystal Gems, he couldn't help but be concerned for their well-being.

He can't do anything to help them though. Except maybe to have hope and trust that they'll all pull through like they always do.

* * *

The shaking lasted a while. Greg tried to dodge the cracks that continuous to form beneath him. "It will stop soon. Steven and the others will resolve this..." He muttered under his breath.

The wait was grueling. There were some moments when he doubted that the ground would stop shaking and his world will really end. He had thought about that before-what he would really do and think if the earth were to be destroyed. He wouldn't really be able to do anything about it. If it was time, it was time. There are just some things that are beyond his control. He and the gems have already defied the 'natural order' plenty of times. The Crystal Gems did go against their intended 'purpose', he had a forbidden relationship with a gem-twice and in one of those he even had a son. True, humans and gems can defy their conditioning and define their destiny but they cannot control everything that happens. In this instance, the gems might, but he himself is powerless against fate. At least, he'll die happy. Sure, there are still many things he wants to do in life but he is satisfied. He's content.

The shaking soon stopped and it was then that Greg knew that the Crystal Gems did it. they stopped the cluster. He was unable to process what just happened. He couldn't believe it. They actually stopped it; they managed to save humanity once again. After registering it all. He rushed towards the barn once again. Surely nothing can ruin his day.

* * *

 **Author: Yep, there's the chapter. There's gonna be a few more in the future but I have already planned them all out.**

 **Pearl: This isn't gonna take as long as last time, right?**

 **Author: Hopefully not. I'll still be pretty busy though. With all of the job applications and all that. Ugh... It sucks being an adult.**

 **Greg: Its necessary though. We all have to grow up sometime.**

 **Author: Yeah... Well, if you'll excuse me I need to work on my CV.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Okay, sorry for the long update. A lot of things kept me from finishing this thing. I had to figure some stuff out- for my future, life and stuff. Anyway, after meeting an insane psychiatrist at a very early hour in the park who actually said some profound shit I realized I want to be a doctor. I have to go by my own pace though since I still have to take added units. Anyway, we only have about 5-7 more chapters to go. Remember, the last chapter was about the cluster and this and the next chapter is basically a version of Drop Beat Dad and a bit of Mr. Greg.**

* * *

Greg drove towards the temple. It had been weeks since the entire world was saved by Steven and the rest of the Crystal Gems. During that he and Pearl barely spend any time alone together but that will all change after today. After today there is a possibility that he'll be able to spend the rest of his life with his love. He opened his glove compartment and stared at the little shiny white box that was safely kept among his other belongings. He smiled nervously to himself-completely unsure of what she's going to say.

He stopped at the temple. He grabbed the small box and placed it into his pocket and grabbed his guitar as well. As soon as he approached the steps he immediately noticed Garnet. She was waiting for something or maybe someone. Actually, if he didn't know any better he would think she was waiting for him since she was looking at him or at least he thinks so. Its really hard to tell underneath her glasses.

"Hi Garnet! Are the rest of the Crystal Gems around?"

"If you meant Pearl, no. She's currently helping Amethyst sort her room out." Garnet replied.

"Yikes, why on earth would she willingly do that?"

"I didn't say she's doing it willingly." Garnet smirked. Her expression immediately turned serious. "Greg, I think we need to talk."

"I-is Steven in trouble?" He asked, worried that his son might be in danger once again.

"No, this is about you and Pearl." She replied.

She sat down on one of the steps and patted the area next to her to let him know to do the same. Greg can tell he won't like what she'll say but decided that its better to hear her out and remain open minded. He sat down next to her and heaved a deep sigh.

"Alright, I'm all ears. What do you have to say about me and Pearl?" He asked.

"Greg, after Steven, you're actually one of the best things that has ever happened to her but" She stopped midway, contemplating for a second, thinking of she could properly phrase her words.

"But what?" He asked.

"I know what you're going to do, Greg. I don't think she's ready for that and I don't think you are either. You need to make sure you're ready for this."

"What did you see?" He asked, knowing that one of her visions might have been a factor.

"I see a lot of possibilities. The future isn't a straight line; it branches out. I'm not exactly sure how she'll respond to it and neither are you."

"I see... Thanks Garnet."

"Your welcome, just be-"

"But if I don't take a risk. Nothing will ever happen. I will not have succeeded because I never tried in the first place." He replied.

"I never said you shouldn't try. I said you should be patient and make sure you're ready." She said in reply.

"You never said anything like this when I proposed to Rose." Greg retorted, getting a bit annoyed.

"Pearl is not Rose."

"I know that. I didn't fall in love with her because I compared her to Rose or because I needed to get over Rose. I fell in love with her because she's her- she's Pearl and that's what I love about her. Regardless of how she'll respond I'll love her all the same."

Garnet smiled at him. "Alright then. If you're going to do this. Come back later. She's occupied right now." She said before walking back inside.

"What?" Greg whispered to himself, unsure of what just happened.

He wasn't able to return later that day. He needs to think about what Garnet had told him. He returned to the carwash. He thought that maybe working would clear his head and maybe then he'll know what to do. There were barely any customers though. At least his son was there with him. He would have told him everything that had happened earlier that day but then a bright green bus stopped by.

Both he and his son looked at the vehicle with intrigue then someone stepped out of the bus. It was a familiar face from his past-Marty.

* * *

She couldn't believe Garnet was able to talk her into doing this. Getting Amethyst's room clean is virtually impossible. But it was necessary. Garnet assured her that the escaped creature would be found if she was able to clean the place since the thing would have no place to hide.

"Just quit touching my stuff, Pearl. We both know this is not going to work." Amethyst commented.

"We won't if you don't help me." Pearl retorted.

"Why? I like my room just the way it is."

"Look, I didn't want to to this either. Its an invasion to your privacy but we have no choice. We have to catch this Snipe." She said in reply.

"Snipe? Is that what Garnet said we should look for?" Amethyst asked, trying to stifle her laughter.

"Yes. And? What's so funny?"

Garnet walked into the room before Amethyst could reply. Alright, I found it. It was hiding in our kitchen all along.

"Well, at least its over... Ugh, I have to wash up..." Pearl commented as she walked out the door.

As soon as Pearl was out of earshot Amethyst approached Garnet. "Really? A snipe?"

"Really" She said with a smirk.

* * *

Greg stared at the envelope full of cash. Confused as to what he should do with the money. There was a point in time when he might have cared about that but he doesn't anymore. He looked at his son and noticed that the boy held the same expression as he did. Before anything though, he knew he had to tell his son why he was given the money.

He smiled at his son as they walked back to the van. He may not find that much value in his newfound fortune but he does value spending time with his son the most.

* * *

 **Well, that's the 26th chapter. The 27th chapter is already written. I'll upload it some other time.**


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